keiki hipa
The Hawaiian word for lamb is keiki hipa.
keiki hipa is used to refer to a young sheep.
Meaning: young sheep (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a compound where keiki means child or offspring and hipa means sheep.
Did you know?
- Because sheep were not native to the islands, Hawaiian often adapts English livestock names to fit its phonology, replacing 'sh' with 'h'.
- While keiki means 'child' in the context of keiki hipa, it can also refer to the youngest sibling in a human family.
- The word keiki shares an ancestral root with the word taiti found in other Eastern Polynesian languages like Mangarevan and Rarotongan.
Examples in context
- He keiki hipa kēia.This is a lamb.
Example conversation
Koa and Leilani are looking at a picture book of farm animals.
- KoaHe aha kēia?What is this?
- LeilaniHe keiki hipa ia.It is a lamb.
- KoaʻAe, he keiki hipa nani kēia.Yes, this is a beautiful lamb.
- LeilaniʻAe, he mea nani ia.Yes, it is a lovely thing.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hipa, keiki, CC BY-SA 4.0.
