kāne
/ˈkaː.ne/
The Hawaiian word for guy is kāne.
kāne is a noun used to refer to a male or a man.
Meaning: male, man (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈkaː.ne/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne is the name of the primary creator god and the father of all living things.
- The word kāne shares a distant linguistic ancestor with words for 'person' found in languages spoken as far away as Indonesia and the Philippines.
- While 'guy' in English can be a casual slang term, in many Hawaiian contexts, kāne can carry a more formal or foundational weight as a descriptor for manhood.
Examples in context
- Aloha, kāne! How's it going?Aloha, man! How's it going?
- He kāne kēlā.That is a man.
- He kāne pono ʻo ia.He is a good man.
Example conversation
Leilani asks Keanu about a man she saw at the beach.
- LeilaniHe aha kēlā kāne?Who is that man?
- KeanuHe hoa pono ʻo ia.He is a good friend.
- LeilaniHe kāne kēlā e hāʻawi ana i ka wai?Is that the man giving out water?
- KeanuʻAe, ʻo ia ia.Yes, that is him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kāne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kāne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
