lio
/ˈli.o/
The Hawaiian word for horse is lio.
lio is a noun used to refer to members of the species Equus ferus.
Meaning: members of the species ''Equus ferus'' (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈli.o/.
Did you know?
- The word lio is thought by some linguists to be a shortened form of ʻīlio, which actually means 'dog'.
- Early Hawaiians may have used the term lio as a general label for any quadruped animal, not just horses.
- In Hawaiian culture, the introduction of the lio fundamentally changed how people traveled and managed the landscape of the islands.
Examples in context
- Ike aku au i kekahi lio nani ma ke kualono i ka lā hope nei.I saw a beautiful horse at the ranch yesterday.
- He lio kēia.This is a horse.
- Ua ʻike au i ka lio.I saw the horse.
- He lio nani kēia.This is a beautiful horse.
Example conversation
Keanu and Leilani are visiting a farm.
- KeanuHe lio nani kēia, Leilani!This is a beautiful horse, Leilani!
- LeilaniʻAe, he lio ʻakaʻaka ʻo ia.Yes, it is a white horse.
- KeanuHiki iā kākou ke hōʻili lio?Can we ride horses?
- LeilaniE nīnau mai kākou i ka mea hana.Let's ask the worker.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries lio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
