lani
/ˈla.ni/
The Hawaiian word for 'sky' is lani.
lani refers to the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and is pronounced /ˈla.ni/. The stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word lani is a cognate of the word 'langit' in Malay and 'rangi' in Māori, showing a shared linguistic ancestor across the Pacific and Southeast Asia.
- The word lani can be used as an honorific or a title to denote something 'royal' or 'exalted'.
- In traditional Hawaiian cosmology, the sky is seen as a separate realm from the earth, and lani refers to the celestial levels where gods and ancestors reside.
Examples in context
- Ka nani o ka lani i luna o Hawai'i.The beauty of the sky above Hawai'i.
- Ua māmā ka lani.The sky is clear.
- Nui ka lani i kēia pō.The sky is vast tonight.
Example conversation
Kai and Malia are looking up at the clouds.
- KaiHe nani ka lani i kēia lā.The sky is beautiful today.
- MaliaʻAe, he nui nā puaʻao.Yes, there are many clouds.
- KaiHe lani mālie kēia.This is a calm sky.
- MaliaHe lā maikaʻi kēia.This is a good day.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lani, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lani, CC BY-SA 4.0.
