napoʻo ʻana o ka lā
The Hawaiian phrase for sunset is napoʻo ʻana o ka lā.
napoʻo ʻana o ka lā is used to refer to the specific time of day when the sun goes down.
Meaning: time of day (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of napoʻo (to set or sink), ʻana (a particle that turns an action into a noun) and o ka lā (of the sun).
How does it change in a sentence?
As a noun phrase, napoʻo ʻana o ka lā does not change its form to indicate singular or plural usage.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the transition of the sunset marks the boundary between ao (the light/world of the living) and pō (the darkness/world of spirits).
- The word napoʻo used in the phrase for sunset also describes something falling over or collapsing, like a tree falling in the forest.
- The word lā is a linguistic relative of the Malay word layar and the Tagalog word layag, both of which mean 'sail'.
Examples in context
- He nani ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā.The sunset is beautiful.
Example conversation
Kai and Leilani are planning a walk on the beach.
- KaiE hele kākou i ka lanai i ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā?Shall we go to the porch at sunset?
- LeilaniʻAe, he manaʻo maikaʻi kēlā, e Kai.Yes, that is a good idea, Kai.
- KaiE lawe au i ka meaʻai.I will bring the food.
- LeilaniOlau i ka wai, e Kai.I'll get the water, Kai.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ka, lā, CC BY-SA 4.0.
