uapo
The Hawaiian word for bridge is uapo.
uapo refers to a bridge, which can be a man-made construction or a natural feature that spans a divide.
Meaning: construction or natural feature that spans a divide (noun)
Did you know?
- The word uapo is a relatively recent addition to the lexicon, reflecting the transition from a society that used natural crossings to one with modern civil engineering.
- In a landscape shaped by volcanic flows, a 'natural bridge' is often viewed as a part of the 'aina', or land, rather than a separate construction built upon it.
- The brevity of uapo follows the standard Hawaiian phonetic structure, which avoids complex consonant clusters found in English words like 'bridge'.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Kai and Noelani are walking toward a river.
- KaiHiki pū mā ke uapo?Can we go via the bridge?
- NoelaniʻAe, he uapo kēlā.Yes, that is a bridge.
- KaiHe uapo lōʻiʻi ia.It is a narrow bridge.
- NoelaniE holo pono, Kai.Walk carefully, Kai.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bridge” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
