makahehi
The Hawaiian word for cutie is makahehi.
makahehi is a noun used to describe a cute person or a cute animal.
Meaning: cute person or animal (noun)
Did you know?
- The word maka appears in many Hawaiian terms relating to the face and perception, as the eyes are considered the primary window to a person's spirit or 'mana'.
- The phonetic structure of makahehi follows a strict Hawaiian rule where every syllable must end in a vowel and no two consonants can appear together.
- If you were to use this term in a formal setting, you might find it too casual, as Hawaiian has distinct layers of respect that 'cutie' does not require in English.
Example conversation
Kai and Kiana are looking at a photo of a baby.
- KaiHe makahehi kēlā keiki!That baby is a cutie!
- KianaʻAe, he makahehi maoli o!Yes, he really is a cutie!
- KaiHe like ʻoe, Kiana.He is like you, Kiana.
- KianaMahalo, Kai!Thank you, Kai!
