kuʻu puʻuwai
The Hawaiian phrase for "my heart" is kuʻu puʻuwai.
kuʻu puʻuwai is used as a term of endearment to refer to a person who is deeply loved, similar to calling someone "my sweetheart" or "my beloved" in English.
What does it mean word for word?
kuʻu is the possessive form of "I/me" used for things that are intimate or close to the speaker, such as family members or body parts and puʻuwai means heart.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Hawaiian, the possessive prefix kuʻu is used instead of the general possessive kaʻu because the heart is considered an intimate part of the self.
Did you know?
- In some poetic contexts, the heart is referred to as the seat of the 'will' and 'intellect' rather than just the seat of emotion.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the heart and the breath are often linked as the twin centers of a person's life force.
- The word kuʻu shares a common ancestor with the Māori word tuku, which means 'to let go' or 'to release'.
Examples in context
- Kuʻu puʻuwai e aloha nei i ka honua.My heart loves the world.
- He kuʻu puʻuwai ʻoe.You are my heart.
- E kuʻu puʻuwai, e hele mai.My heart, please come here.
- Aloha nui iā ʻoe, kuʻu puʻuwai.Much love to you, my heart.
Example conversation
Ikaika and Noelani are saying goodbye at the airport.
- IkaikaE kuʻu puʻuwai, e kiaʻi pono.My heart, please take care.
- NoelaniE kiaʻi pono iā ʻoe, e kuʻu puʻuwai.Take care of yourself, my heart.
- IkaikaE hoʻi mua mai.Come back soon.
- NoelaniʻAe, e hoʻi mua mai au.Yes, I will come back soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kuʻu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
