ʻaʻole pilikia
/ʔaˈʔo.le ˌpi.liˈki.a/word by word
In Hawaiian, the phrase for "no problem" is ʻaʻole pilikia.
ʻaʻole pilikia is used to convey that no apology is necessary.
Meaning: no apology is necessary (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ʻaʻole meaning "no" or "none" and pilikia meaning "problem" or "trouble".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʔaˈʔo.le ˌpi.liˈki.a/. It has 7 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word pilikia can also mean 'entanglement' or 'to be caught in a net', reflecting how a 'problem' is something that traps you.
- In Hawaiian culture, many interpersonal interactions are governed by 'aloha', so using ʻaʻole pilikia is less about the absence of a problem and more about maintaining 'pono', or balance and righteousness.
- The word ʻaʻole is related to the Māori word kore, which also means 'without' or 'not having'.
Examples in context
- ʻAʻole pilikia.No problem.
Example conversation
Malia accidentally bumps into Keanu while walking.
- KeanuE pono kēlā.Excuse me.
- MaliaE kala mai, Keanu.I'm sorry, Keanu.
- KeanuʻAʻole pilikia, Malia.No problem, Malia.
- MaliaMahalo!Thank you!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ʻaʻole, pilikia) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻaʻole, CC BY-SA 4.0.
