ᏩᎱᎯ
wahuhi
The English word owl is translated into Cherokee as ᏩᎱᎯ (wahuhi). Wiktionary also lists ᎤᎫᎫ (ugugu).
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cherokee | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ᏩᎱᎯ | wahuhi |
| ᎤᎫᎫ | ugugu |
Which one should you use?
ᏩᎱᎯ is a general term for any owl. In contrast, ᎤᎫᎫ is often used specifically to refer to the screech owl or it functions as an onomatopoeic representation of an owl's call.
How do you pronounce it?
wahuhi
Did you know?
- The Cherokee syllabary used to write ᏩᎱᎯ was invented by Sequoyah, who created a writing system without any formal training in linguistics.
- In traditional Cherokee folklore, hearing an owl hoot at certain times can be interpreted as an omen, a concept quite different from the Western view of owls as symbols of wisdom.
- Cherokee folklore often associates owls with witchcraft and the ability to transform into different shapes.
Example sentences for Cherokee are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two people see a bird in the woods.
- AᏩᎱᎯ ᎦᏙᎢ?wahuhi gadoi?Where is the owl?
- BᏩᎱᎯ ᎪᏪᏴᏗ.wahuhi gowevdidi.The owl is in the tree.
- AᏩᎱᎯ ᏓᏓᏅᏓᏓᏓ.wahuhi dadanvdadada.The owl is calling.
- BᏙᎯᎦ?dohiga?Is that so?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “owl” translations and entries ᏩᎱᎯ, ᎤᎫᎫ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
