ʻakau
The Tongan word for tree is ʻakau.
ʻakau is used to refer to a large woody plant.
Meaning: large woody plant (noun)
Did you know?
- In the Tongan language, the word ʻakau refers to both a massive 'tree' and a small 'stick', conceptually linking the whole plant to its smallest wooden piece.
- Tongan distinguishes between different 'trees' based on their practical use, such as whether the wood is for medicine or for construction.
- The glottal stop ʻ at the beginning of ʻakau is not just a punctuation mark but a full consonant that changes the word's meaning.
Example conversation
Sina and Sione are walking in a garden.
- SinaVakaiʻi ʻa e ʻakau ko puí!Look at that tree!
- SioneʻOku tele leva ʻa e ʻakau ko puí.That tree is very tall.
- SinaʻOku mālohi ia.It is strong.
- SioneʻOku true moʻoni.That is very true.
