pea huluhulu
/ˈpe.a hu.luˈhu.lu/word by word
The Hawaiian phrase for grizzly bear is pea huluhulu.
pea huluhulu is used to refer to the species Ursus arctos horribilis.
Meaning: Ursus arctos horribilis (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpe.a hu.luˈhu.lu/. The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- Since Hawaii has no native land mammals, most names for large mammals like the pea huluhulu were created after European contact.
- In Hawaiian, the word hulu refers to any soft covering, meaning the same word describes both the feathers of a bird and the fur of a pea huluhulu.
- While 'bear' in English refers to the animal, the Hawaiian word pea specifically targets the sound of the English word.
Example conversation
Kiana and Ikaika are looking at a book about animals.
- KianaHe aha kēia mea, e Ikaika?What is this thing, Ikaika?
- IkaikaʻO ia kahi pea huluhulu.That is a grizzly bear.
- KianaHe mea ʻino paha ka pea huluhulu?Is the grizzly bear perhaps dangerous?
- IkaikaʻAe, he mea ikaika loa ia.Yes, it is very strong.
