rumi moe
The Hawaiian word for bedroom is rumi moe.
rumi moe is used to refer to a room in a house where a bed is kept for sleeping.
Meaning: room in a house where a bed is kept for sleeping (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is a compound of rumi, a loanword for 'room' and moe, the verb meaning 'to sleep'.
Did you know?
- Historically, the concept of a 'bedroom' as a private, enclosed space is a Western import, as native Hawaiian sleeping areas were communal.
- In Hawaiian, the word moe can also be used to describe a plant that is 'prostrate' or lying flat on the ground.
- The word moe shares a common ancestor with the Māori word moe used in New Zealand, showing how closely related these distant island languages are.
Examples in context
- Hele au i ka hale moe.I'm going to the bedroom/sleeping house.
- He rumi moe kēia.This is a bedroom.
Example conversation
Noelani and Ikaika are tidying up their house.
- NoelaniIkaika, e hoʻomaʻemaʻe i ka rumi moe.Ikaika, clean the bedroom.
- IkaikaʻAe, e hoʻomaʻemaʻe ana au i kēia rumi moe.Yes, I am cleaning this bedroom.
- NoelaniE ʻoluʻolu, e hoʻoponopono i nā mea i loko.Please, organize the things inside.
- IkaikaUa hoʻomaʻemaʻe mua au i ka rumi moe.I already cleaned the bedroom.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries moe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
