ʻaina awakea
/ˈʔai̯.na ˌa.waˈke.a/
The Hawaiian word for lunch is ʻaina awakea.
The term refers specifically to a meal eaten around midday.
Meaning: meal around midday (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ʻaina (food/to eat) and awakea (midday/noon).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈʔai̯.na ˌa.waˈke.a/. It has 6 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ʻaina is a homograph of the word for 'land' (ʻāina), but they are distinguished by a subtle difference in vowel length and the presence of the glottal stop.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of 'lunch' as a scheduled midday break is a relatively modern import. Historically, eating patterns were more flexible and dictated by the work of farming and fishing.
- The word ʻaina is a cognate of the Proto-Polynesian word for 'feast'. In ancient Hawaiian culture, the distinction between a daily meal and a celebratory feast was more fluid than in English.
Examples in context
- E komo mai! We will be serving the ʻaina awakea in the dining hall at noon.Welcome! We will be serving the midday meal in the dining hall at noon.
- He ʻaina awakea kēia.This is lunch.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in the office breakroom.
- KaiMalia, ua holo ʻē a ka ʻaina awakea?Malia, is lunch already over?
- MaliaʻAe, Kai, ua pau kēia mau mea.Yes, Kai, these things are finished.
- KaiUa poina au i ka ʻaina awakea.I forgot my lunch.
- MaliaHiki iā ʻoe ke hāʻawi i kaʻu mea.You can have some of mine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunch” translations and entries ʻaina awakea, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries awakea, ʻaina, ʻaina awakea, CC BY-SA 4.0.
