ʻaihue
The Hawaiian word for thief is ʻaihue.
The primary way to refer to a thief is through the noun ʻaihue. Additionally, the informal term Kānaka ‘ino can be used to describe a bad or dishonest person, which includes thieves.
Meaning: one who carries out theft (noun)
Did you know?
- In ancient Hawaii, theft was often handled through hoʻoponopono, a process of communal reconciliation and forgiveness rather than simple punishment.
- The glottal stop at the beginning of ʻaihue, written as the symbol ʻ, is a full consonant that completely changes the meaning of the word if omitted.
- Traditional Hawaiian law viewed theft of certain sacred objects as a violation of kapu, which could lead to much harsher consequences than stealing food or cloth.
Examples in context
- He ʻaihue ʻo ia.He is a thief.
- Aia ka ʻaihue ma luna o ka hale.The thief is on the roof.
Example conversation
Koa and Malia are talking about a missing phone.
- KoaʻAihue ʻolelo ʻolelo ʻolelo ʻoleloA thief took my phone!
- MaliaʻOlelo ʻolelo ʻolelo ʻolelo ʻoleloAre you sure it was a thief?
