kaikamahine
/ˌkai̯.ka.maˈhi.ne/
The Hawaiian phrase for "little girl" is kaikamahine.
The term is used to refer to a female child.
Meaning: a female child (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word kaikamahine does not change its form to indicate plurality. Instead, plurality is typically indicated by placing nā before the word.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable: /ˌkai̯.ka.maˈhi.ne/.
Did you know?
- In a traditional Hawaiian context, the 'kinship' aspect of the word implies that a girl is defined by her place within a social and familial network.
- Hawaiian uses the same word kamahine for both 'girl' and 'daughter' depending on the sentence structure and the presence of the kinship prefix.
- While kaikamahine refers to a girl, the word keiki is the gender-neutral term for 'child' and is used more frequently in casual conversation.
Examples in context
- He kaikamahine kēlā.That is a little girl.
- He kaikamahine pono kēia.This is a good little girl.
- Ua hāʻalele ka kaikamahine.The little girl left.
Example conversation
Koa and Leilani are watching children play at a park.
- KoaE nānā i ka kaikamahine.Look at the little girl.
- LeilaniʻAe, he kaikamahine nani ia.Yes, she is a beautiful little girl.
- KoaKe kaʻalele nei ka kaikamahine.The little girl is running away.
- LeilaniE hele mai ana ia.She is coming here.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kaikamahine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
