ʻio
/ˈʔi.o/
In Hawaiian, the word for hawk is ʻio.
ʻio refers to a predatory bird of the Accipitridae family.
Meaning: predatory bird of Accipitridae (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈʔi.o/.
Did you know?
- Hawaiian mythology includes the 'ʻIo', a supreme creator deity whose name is identical to the word for 'hawk'.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, certain birds of prey were seen as 'aumākua', or ancestral guardian spirits, that could warn people of danger.
- The word ʻio is linked to the Niuean word kio, which means 'to chirp'.
Examples in context
- Ke 'ike aku nei au i ka ʻio e lele ana i luna o ka lānai.I see the hawk flying on the lanai.
- Ua ʻike ʻia ka ʻio ma luna o ka mauna.A hawk was seen above the mountain.
- Ke ʻike nei au i ka ʻio e lele nei.I see the hawk flying.
- He ʻio kēlā e nānā nei i ka lani.That is a hawk looking at the sky.
Example conversation
Leilani and Kai are walking in the forest.
- LeilaniE nānā, he ʻio kēlā!Look, that is a hawk!
- KaiʻAe, he ʻio nui loa ia.Yes, it is a very large hawk.
- LeilaniKe holo nei ka ʻio.The hawk is flying.
- KaiHe nani ia.It is beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ʻio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
