mauʻu
/ˈmau̯.ʔu/
The Hawaiian word for grass is mauʻu.
mauʻu refers to a ground cover plant.
Meaning: ground cover plant (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈmau̯.ʔu/.
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian, mauʻu can be used to describe not just grass but also a 'shaggy' or 'hairy' appearance, such as a person's unkempt hair.
- The concept of 'greenery' in Hawaiian culture is often linked to the concept of 'mana', or spiritual power, where a lush carpet of mauʻu indicates a healthy, powerful landscape.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, certain types of grass were woven into 'mats' or 'skirts'. The act of gathering mauʻu was often a communal activity tied to seasonal cycles.
Examples in context
- kula mauʻuField of grass, meadowThis example shows how to describe a field of grass or a meadow using mauʻu.
- Ua piʻi ka pili i ka pūnāwai o ka mauna.The grass has grown around the mountain spring.
- He mauʻu kēia.This is grass.
Example conversation
Ikaika and Malia are looking at a yard.
- IkaikaHe mauʻu nalu kēia?Is this grass?
- MaliaʻAe, he mauʻu nalu kēlā.Yes, that is grass.
- IkaikaHe nani ka mauʻu.The grass is beautiful.
- MaliaʻAe, he nani loa.Yes, it is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grass” translations and entries mauʻu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
