kaikuahine
/ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈhi.ne/
The Hawaiian word for sister is kaikuahine. If unsure, use kaikuahine. Wiktionary also lists kaikuaʻana and kaikaina.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hawaiian | IPA |
|---|---|
| kaikuahine | /ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈhi.ne/ |
| kaikuaʻana | /ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈʔa.na/ |
| kaikaina | /kai̯ˈkai̯.na/ |
The term refers to a woman or girl who shares the same parents. To express possessiveness, such as saying "my sister," you can use the word ku'u before the term for sister.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌkai̯ˌku.aˈhi.ne/. The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- The word kaikaina refers to a younger sibling regardless of gender, meaning it can be used for both a younger brother and a younger sister.
- The term kaikuahine can also be used to describe a female cousin, reflecting a cultural kinship system where cousins are often viewed as siblings.
- Hawaiian uses different words for 'sister' depending on whether she is older or younger than you. You would use kaikuaʻana for an older sister and kaikaina for a younger one.
Examples in context
- E komo mai, kaikuahine.Welcome, sister.
- A hui hou, kaikuahineGoodbye, sister, until we meet again.
- He kaikuahine kēia.This is a sister.
Example conversation
Keanu is introducing his family member to Leilani.
- KeanuE nānā, ʻo kēia koʻu kaikuahine.Look, this is my sister.
- LeilaniAloha e kaikuahine!Hello, sister!
- KeanuHe lani ʻo ia.She is heavenly.
- LeilaniHe lani pono ia.She is truly heavenly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries kaikuahine, kaikuaʻana, kaikaina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
