kahakai
/ka.haˈkai̯/
The English phrase "beach" is translated into Hawaiian as kahakai, kahaone or papa kea.
Meaning: sandy shore (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | IPA |
|---|---|
| kahakai | /ka.haˈkai̯/ |
| kahaone | /ˌka.haˈo.ne/ |
| papa kea |
kahakai is the general term for a shore, while kahaone is used when you want to emphasize that the shore is sandy.
What does it mean word for word?
The word kahakai is composed of kaha, meaning shore or edge and kai, meaning sea or salt water.
Which one should you use?
kahakai refers generally to the sea shore or beach. In contrast, kahaone specifically emphasizes a sandy shore, combining kaha (shore) and one (sand).
How do you pronounce it?
The word kahakai has 3 syllables. The stress is on the 3rd syllable: /ka.haˈkai̯/.
Did you know?
- If you are standing on a beach made of white sand, you might use the term papa kea, which literally translates to 'white platform' or 'white surface'.
- The word one in kahaone means 'sand', but it is also the Hawaiian word for the number 'one'.
- The word papa in papa kea shares a common ancestor with the Malay word papan, meaning 'board' or 'plank'.
Examples in context
- He nani ka kahakai.The beach is beautiful.
- E hele ana kāua i ka kahakai.Let's go to the beach.
Example conversation
Keanu and Noelani are planning a day trip.
- KeanuHe aha kāu e makai ana?What do you want?
- NoelaniMakemake au e hele i ka kahakai.I want to go to the beach.
- KeanuMaikaʻi kēlā manaʻo!That is a great idea!
- NoelaniE hiki mai kākou i ka kahakai i kēia mau lā.Let's get to the beach today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beach” translations and entries kahakai, kahaone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kahakai, kahaone, kea, papa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
