mākaʻi
/maːˈka.ʔi/
The Hawaiian word for police is mākaʻi.
mākaʻi refers to a local or general law enforcement agency.
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. In IPA, it is pronounced /maːˈka.ʔi/.
Did you know?
- Because the root kaʻi means 'to lead', it can also be found in words related to guidance or wayfinding, which are vital parts of traditional Hawaiian navigation.
- The word mākaʻi is built from the concept of 'leading' or 'guiding', suggesting that law enforcement is a matter of directing people rather than just punishing them.
- The ʻ in mākaʻi is called an ʻokina and represents a glottal stop, which is a full consonant in Hawaiian.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Kai and Malia are discussing a lost wallet.
- KaiUa nalowau koʻu pāpoa, e Malia.I lost my wallet, Malia.
- MaliaE hele kāua i ka mākaʻi.Let's go to the police.
- KaiʻAe, he mea pono kēlā.Yes, that is necessary.
- MaliaE holo kāua i kēia manawa.Let's go right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations and entries mākaʻi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
