Pōʻaono
/ˌpoː.ʔaˈo.no/
The Hawaiian word for Saturday is Pōʻaono.
Pōʻaono is used as a noun to refer to the day of the week, Saturday.
Meaning: day of the week (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
This word is a compound of pō, meaning night or moon and ʻaono, meaning sixth. In the context of the weekly cycle, it literally translates to 'sixth night' or 'sixth moon'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. It is pronounced /ˌpoː.ʔaˈo.no/.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of pō represented not just a time of day but a primordial darkness from which the universe emerged.
- The seven-day week containing Pōʻaono was introduced to Hawaiʻi by 19th-century missionaries. Before this, the culture used a complex lunar calendar to track days and seasons.
- The word Pōʻaono shares a structural logic with the word for 'Saturday' in Iban, where the day is also identified as 'day six'.
Examples in context
- He Pōʻaono kēia.It is Saturday today.
Example conversation
Malia and Keanu are planning a weekend trip.
- MaliaE hele kāua i ke kuleana i kēia Pōʻaono?Shall we go to the responsibility this Saturday?
- KeanuʻAe, hiki iaʻu i kēlā lā.Yes, I can make it that day.
- MaliaMaikaʻi, e kipa kāua i ka ohana.Good, let's visit the family.
- KeanuE hui nou i kēia Pōʻaono, Malia.See you this Saturday, Malia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Saturday” translations and entries Pōʻaono, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pōʻaono, CC BY-SA 4.0.
