tokoua
tokoua is the Tongan word for bro.
tokoua is used to refer to a male comrade or friend, or someone who shares one's ideals.
Meaning: male comrade or friend, one who shares one’s ideals (noun)
Did you know?
- While tokoua implies a comrade, using it with an elder or a person of higher rank can be seen as a bold act of social defiance or extreme intimacy.
- In Tongan poetic or song contexts, the concept of a 'tokoua' can be elevated to describe a spiritual or ancestral connection.
- Because Tongan is a Polynesian language, the roots of the words used for companionship are related to those in Samoan and Maori, though the specific term tokoua is distinct.
Example conversation
Mele introduces her friend to Akuila.
- MeleAkuila, ko e tokoua ia.Akuila, this is my bro.
- AkuilaMālō e lea, tokoua.Nice to meet you, bro.
- MeleKo e tokoua ne'i fakafoha.He is a brother in friendship.
- AkuilaʻOku ou fiefia ke tau tokoua.I am happy that we are bros.
