aloha

It’s commonly used by tourists and locals alike as a way of saying “hello” or “goodbye”, but it also means “love”, “respect”, “compassion”, etc. It’s a word that holds high significance in Hawaiian culture.

The word “aloha” is very well-known across Hawaiʻi and even the mainland US. It’s related to the Tongan word “talofa”.

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Hawaii

Hawaii, aka Tahiti but more Asian (seriously, like everyone here is Asian or part Asian).

All jokes aside, it’s a very nice place. People here are generally friendly (with the exception of Waianae) and the culture is very diverse. If you’re going to visit the islands, then make sure to respect local customs and have fun.

It is important to point out that Hawaii isn’t a perfect paradise. There are many issues such as the homeless population and high cost of living. There’s also a lot of tensions between Native Hawaiian activists and the state government. Be careful when bringing up a sensitive issue.

Also, not a lot of people speak Hawaiian anymore, so don’t worry about having to learn a different language. However, I would recommend learning Hawaiian pronunciation since many of the place names are in Hawaiian. For example, “Likelike” is pronounced “lee-keh-lee-keh”, not “like-like”.

Hawaii is a nice place, although it has issues. Mahalo nui loa for reading this definition. A hui hou!

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Okinawa

An island south of Japan and east of China filled with centenarian elders and American military bases. The people living there are known as the Okinawans, who are culturally distinct from the Japanese. They are also the same people who gave us Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid, so thank them for that I guess?

It’s often seen as the Asian version of Hawaii, but don’t be fooled because Okinawans drive on the left whereas Hawaii people drive on the right.

Also, did you know that the original name for Okinawa is “Uchinaa”? I hope you didn’t because that’s the most random fact ever and knowing it reveals that you either have no life or you’re super bored from being in quarantine.

Pidgin

Pidgin is a creole language spoken by many locals in Hawaii.

Some people call it broken English, and to that I say: go jump off a bridge.

You’ll find Pidgin speakers of all ethnicities. However, from my experience, Native Hawaiians and Filipinos have the heaviest accents.

Example Conversation of Pidgin:

Kawika: Howzit, brah?
Iokepa: Eyy, howzit!
Kawika: You like go somewea? Dea’s one Japanee restaurant across da street.
Iokepa: Shoots, we go den.

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akamai

Hawaiian word for “smart”, commonly used by locals who speak Pidgin, an English creole language native to Hawaii.

Example of “akamai” being used in Pidgin:

John: Ho, you tink you so akamai? (Oh, you think you’re so smart?)
Kimo: No brah, you da one being lolo! (No dude, you’re the one being stupid!)

I don’t really know how to give you an example of “akamai” in the Hawaiian language (not Pidgin) because literally no one speaks Hawaiian anymore. Our knowledge of Hawaiian is limited to three basic phrases and the numbers 1-4. King Kamehameha is not proud. 2/10

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yobo

Hawaiian Pidgin slang for a person of Korean descent, usually those who live in Hawaii.

It comes from the Korean word “yeobo (여보)”, meaning “darling”.

Kawika: See the yobo ova dea?
Kanoa: I do. I tink he run da church on da odda street, yeah?

By the way, on a serious note, how come like 90% of churches I visit are owned by Korean families? What’s up with that?

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