ʻākau
/ʔaːˈkau̯/
ʻākau is the Hawaiian word for north.
ʻākau is used as a noun to denote the compass point north.
Meaning: compass point (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔaːˈkau̯/
Did you know?
- In many Polynesian languages, the word for 'north' is the same word used for 'right', based on the orientation of a person facing the sunrise.
- The glottal stop at the beginning of ʻākau, represented by the symbol ʻ, is a full consonant that changes the meaning of the word entirely if omitted.
- The word ʻākau is a cognate with the Māori word katau, showing a linguistic link across thousands of miles of ocean.
Examples in context
- Hele i ka ʻākau.Go to the north.
- E nānā i ka ʻākau.Look to the north.
Example conversation
Koa and Kiana are looking at a map of the island.
- KoaHe aha ka mea i ka ʻākau?What is in the north?
- KianaAia ka puʻu nui ma luna.The big mountain is up there.
- KoaHe mamao loa ia.That is very far.
- KianaʻAe, he mamao ka ʻākau.Yes, the north is far.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “north” translations and entries ʻākau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ʻākau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
