aumoe
/au̯ˈmo.e/
Midnight in Hawaiian is expressed as aumoe or ʻauinapō.
Meaning: 12 o'clock at night exactly (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | IPA |
|---|---|
| aumoe | /au̯ˈmo.e/ |
| ʻauinapō | /ʔau̯ˌi.naˈpoː/ |
Both terms refer to 12 o'clock at night exactly.
What does it mean word for word?
The term ʻauinapō is a compound of ʻaui, meaning to reach or arrive and pō, meaning night, which literally translates to the arrival of night in a temporal sense.
Which one should you use?
While aumoe is a common way to say midnight, ʻauinapō is a more formal or poetic term.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /au̯ˈmo.e/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian thought, the concept of midnight is tied to pō, a term that can mean not just 'night' but also the primordial darkness of creation.
- The common term aumoe is rooted in the concept of being 'fast asleep', rather than the actual position of the sun or clock.
- Because pō refers to the entire period of darkness, the distinction between 'midnight' and 'night' in older Hawaiian texts is often contextual rather than precise.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Noelani and Keanu are discussing when to start their trip.
- NoelaniE hele ana kākou i ka aumoe?Are we leaving at midnight?
- KeanuʻAe, e holo ana kākou i kēlā manawa.Yes, we are leaving at that time.
- NoelaniHe manawa maikaʻi kēlā.That is a good time.
- KeanuE huki i ka mālama, Noelani.Get ready, Noelani.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “midnight” translations and entries aumoe, ʻauinapō, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aumoe, ʻauinapō, CC BY-SA 4.0.
