make
/ˈma.ke/
The Hawaiian word for death is make.
make is used as a noun to refer to the cessation of life.
Meaning: cessation of life (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
make is pronounced /ˈma.ke/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- The word make is a cognate with the Indonesian word mati and the Tagalog word matay, showing that Hawaiian shares ancient roots with languages spoken across Southeast Asia.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of make was often viewed as a transition to the ancestral realm rather than a final ending.
- In some contexts, referring to make directly was avoided in favor of euphemisms to prevent attracting bad luck or showing disrespect to the deceased.
Examples in context
- He mea ʻino ka make.Death is a bad thing.
- Ua hoʻomanaʻo mākou i kona make.We remembered his death.
Example conversation
Kai and Kiana are talking about an old legend.
- KaiHe moʻolelo kēia e pili ana i ka make.This is a story about death.
- KianaHe moʻolelo ʻēwēwē paha?Is it perhaps a sad story?
- KaiʻAe, akā he mea maʻamau ka make.Yes, but death is a common thing.
- KianaE haʻi mai iaʻu i ka moʻolelo.Tell me the story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “death” translations and entries make, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries make, CC BY-SA 4.0.
