minoʻaka
The Hawaiian word for "smile" is minoʻaka.
The word minoʻaka is used both as a verb, meaning to have a smile on one's face and as a noun, referring to a happy facial expression using the mouth without producing a voice.
Meaning: to have a smile on one's face (verb)
Related words
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, a smile is seen as a reflection of one's 'mana', or spiritual power and essence, visible through a pleasant countenance.
- When observing traditional Hula, the facial expressions, including a minoʻaka, are an essential part of the storytelling and are choreographed alongside the body movements.
- The glottal stop represented by the ‘okina in minoʻaka is a full consonant, meaning your breath must briefly stop to pronounce the word correctly.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Leilani is taking a photo of Koa.
- LeilaniE minoʻaka mai, e Koa!Smile for me, Koa!
- KoaʻOia mau, e Leilani.I will, Leilani.
- LeilaniMaikaʻi kēlā minoʻaka.That smile is great.
- KoaMahalo nui!Thank you very much!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smile” translations and entries minoʻaka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
