pupuka
/puˈpu.ka/
The Hawaiian word for "ugly" is pupuka.
pupuka is an adjective used to describe something that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing.
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: pu-pu-ka. The stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word puka, the root of pupuka, is also used in modern Hawaiian to describe a 'door' or 'exit' because they are essentially holes in a wall.
- Because Hawaiian traditionally lacks a wide array of purely aesthetic adjectives, words like pupuka often carry a heavier connotation of being 'damaged' or 'broken' than the English word 'ugly' does.
- The root word puka is used in the common phrase puka mai, which means 'to appear' or 'to emerge'. This suggests a conceptual link between a 'hole' and the act of coming through one into view.
Example sentences for Hawaiian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Koa and Noelani are looking at a piece of art.
- KoaHe mea pupuka kēlā.That is an ugly thing.
- NoelaniʻAʻole, he mea maikaʻi kēlā.No, that is a good thing.
- KoaPupuka loa ka lanakila.The victory is very ugly.
- NoelaniE nānā pono, Koa.Look closely, Koa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations and entries pupuka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
