pō
/ˈpoː/
The Hawaiian word for night is pō.
pō refers to the period of time between sunset and sunrise. You may see it used in phrases such as po la'i, which means a peaceful night.
Meaning: period between sunset and sunrise (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoː/
Did you know?
- In ancient Hawaiian culture, pō was not just a time of day but a primordial state of darkness from which the universe and the gods emerged.
- In ancient Hawaiian timekeeping, the cycle of a 'night' was actually determined by counting moon phases that emerged shortly after sunrise. This allowed people to distinguish between solar cycles that otherwise had very similar daytime lengths.
- In traditional Hawaiian chants, pō is often used to represent the realm of ancestors and the spiritual world.
Examples in context
- He mea maikaʻi ka pō.The night is good.
Example conversation
Koa and Malia are saying goodbye at the end of the day.
- KoaE pili pono iā you i kēia pō.Stay safe this night.
- MaliaMahalo, Koa.Thank you, Koa.
- KoaA hui hou i ka pō.See you again at night.
- MaliaA hui hou, Malia.See you later, Malia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “night” translations and entries pō, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pō, CC BY-SA 4.0.
