kūpaʻa
The Hawaiian word for resilient is kūpaʻa.
The adjective kūpaʻa is used to describe someone or something that is resilient, meaning it returns quickly to a normal state after experiencing damaging events or conditions or possesses psychological or structural toughness.
Meaning: returning quickly to normal after damaging events or conditions, psychologically or structurally tough (adj)
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the idea of resilience is deeply connected to one's connection to land and ancestry.
- The word is composed of kū, meaning 'to stand', and paʻa, meaning 'fast' or 'solid'. In Hawaiian, combining these two basic verbs creates a new meaning of psychological endurance.
- Because kūpaʻa implies a lack of movement, using it to describe a person in an argument might suggest they are being uncompromising.
Examples in context
- He kanaka kūpaʻa ʻo ia.He is a resilient person.
