ʻulu
/ʔu.lu/
The Tongan word for head is ʻulu.
ʻulu is used to refer to the head, which is a part of the body.
Meaning: part of the body (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Ha'apai region, some people use ulu to refer to the head.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ʔu.lu/.
Did you know?
- In Tongan culture, the ʻulu is considered the most sacred part of the body, and touching another person's head is often seen as a sign of disrespect.
- The word ʻulu is related to the Proto-Austronesian root *qulu, suggesting that the word for 'head' has traveled across the ocean for thousands of years.
- Tongan has specific honorific registers, and while ʻulu is the general word, different terms might be used when referring to the head of royalty.
Example sentences for Tongan are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “head” translations and entries ʻulu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻulu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
