kaikuaʻana
/ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈʔa.na/
The Hawaiian word for "older sister" is kaikuaʻana.
While translated as "older sister," the term is gender-neutral and can also refer to an older brother.
Meaning: single-word translations (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The term kaikuaʻana is used to refer to an older sibling, regardless of whether that sibling is male or female.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈʔa.na/.
Did you know?
- Hawaiian uses different words for older siblings depending on whether the sibling is the same sex or the opposite sex as the speaker.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, calling an older sibling by their given name instead of using a kinship term like kaikuaʻana could be seen as a sign of disrespect.
- In many Hawaiian contexts, the use of kinship terms like kaikuaʻana extends beyond blood relatives to show respect to anyone in an older sibling role.
Example conversation
Kai is introducing his family to Noelani.
- KaiʻO wai kēia wahine?Who is this woman?
- NoelaniʻO ia koʻu kaikuaʻana.She is my older sister.
- KaiHe name ʻano kona?What is her name?
- NoelaniʻO Leilani kona inoa.Her name is Leilani.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kaikuaʻana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
