kō
/ˈkoː/
The Hawaiian word for sugar is kō.
kō refers to the sucrose derived from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten various foods and drinks.
Meaning: sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkoː/
Did you know?
- The word kō is a homonym that can also mean 'to become pregnant' in Hawaiian.
- Sugar cane was one of the primary crops that transformed Hawaii's economy and demographics in the 19th century, leading to the arrival of large populations from China, Japan and the Philippines.
- The Hawaiian word kō shares an ancient root with the word for 'sugar cane' in many languages across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, tracing back to Proto-Austronesian *təbuS.
Examples in context
- He kō kēia.This is sugar.
Example conversation
Malia and Ikaika are preparing tea together.
- MaliaIkaika, aia ka kō?Ikaika, is the sugar here?
- IkaikaʻAe, aia ma luna o ka papa.Yes, it is on the table.
- MaliaMahalo, e huki mai ia.Thanks, pass it here.
- IkaikaEia ia, Malia.Here it is, Malia.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kō, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kō, CC BY-SA 4.0.
