kia
/ˈki.a/
The Hawaiian word kia is a command used to tell someone to look at something.
kia is used when you want to direct someone's attention toward a specific object or sight.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable: /ˈki.a/.
Did you know?
- The word kia is a linguistic relative of the Māori word tia and the Malay word tiang through an ancient shared ancestor.
- While kia directs a gaze, Hawaiian has several other words for 'looking' that specify whether the look is a glance, a stare or a search.
- The structure of 'kia' reflects the phonetic constraints of the Hawaiian alphabet, which is one of the smallest in the world.
Example conversation
Ikaika and Kiana are walking on the beach.
- IkaikaKia, Kiana!Look, Kiana!
- KianaHe aha kēla?What is that?
- IkaikaHe honu nui kēlā.That is a big turtle.
- KianaHe nani loa!It is very beautiful!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
