ʻōpāpaʻa
The Hawaiian word for shrimp is ʻōpāpaʻa.
The term refers to the flesh of the crustacean.
Meaning: flesh of the crustacean (noun)
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian, the concept of 'eating' seafood like ʻōpāpaʻa is often tied to the concept of ʻaina, which means both 'food' and 'land'.
- The glottal stop, represented by the symbol ʻ in ʻōpāpaʻa, is a full consonant in Hawaiian and changing its placement can completely alter the meaning of a word.
- In many Hawaiian traditions, distinguishing between different types of small crustaceans is vital for specific fishing and culinary practices.
Example conversation
Noelani and Keanu are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- NoelaniHe aha kāu e makemake ai?What do you want?
- KeanuMakemake au i ka ʻōpāpaʻa.I want shrimp.
- NoelaniHiki iā kāua ke kūʻai.We can buy some.
- KeanuʻAe, e hele kāua!Yes, let's go!
