pāpaʻi
pāpaʻi is the Hawaiian word for crab.
This noun is used to refer to the crustacean known as a crab.
Meaning: crustacean (noun)
Did you know?
- The word pāpaʻi is also used as a verb meaning 'to strike' or 'to chop'.
- Traditional Hawaiian fishing methods often involved specifically timing the harvest of pāpaʻi based on the lunar calendar and tide cycles.
- The word pāpaʻi can be found in many different Polynesian languages, such as Tahitian, showing the deep linguistic connections across the Pacific.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Keanu and Noelani are walking on the beach.
- KeanuNoelani, nānā i ka pāpaʻi!Noelani, look at the crab!
- NoelaniHe pāpaʻi liʻiliʻi kēlā.That is a small crab.
- KeanuHāmau ia i loko o ka one.It is hiding in the sand.
- NoelaniHe mea ʻakaʻaka ka pāpaʻi.The crab is funny.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crab” translations and entries pāpaʻi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
