lumi ʻauʻau
/ˈlu.mi ˌʔau̯ˈʔau̯/word by word
The Hawaiian phrase for a bathroom (specifically a room with a bathtub) is lumi ʻauʻau.
lumi ʻauʻau is a noun used to describe a room that contains a bathtub.
Meaning: a room with a bathtub (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈlu.mi ˌʔau̯ˈʔau̯/.
Did you know?
- The word lumi in this phrase is actually a Hawaiianized version of the English word 'room'.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, bathing was typically done in nature at streams or the ocean rather than in a dedicated lumi.
- The glottal stop, written as ʻ, appears twice in ʻauʻau and represents a distinct consonant sound similar to the catch in the throat in 'uh-oh'.
Example conversation
Keanu is visiting Malia's house for the first time.
- MaliaE komo mai, Keanu.Welcome, Keanu.
- KeanuMahalo, Malia. Aia ka lumi ʻauʻau?Thank you, Malia. Where is the bathroom?
- MaliaAia ma luna o ka hale.It is upstairs in the house.
- KeanuMahalo nui.Thank you very much.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (lumi, ʻauʻau) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lumi, ʻauʻau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
