nalu
/ˈna.lu/
The Hawaiian word for wave is nalu.
nalu is used to refer to a moving disturbance or an undulation in a medium, such as water.
Meaning: moving disturbance, undulation (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈna.lu/.
Did you know?
- Ancient Hawaiians believed that certain waves were created by the gods, and practitioners of heʻe nalu would sometimes pray to the ocean to call a nalu into existence.
- In Hawaiian culture, the art of surfing is known as heʻe nalu, which literally translates to 'wave sliding'.
- In traditional Hawaiian navigation, reading the nalu allowed voyagers to detect distant islands by observing how land masses disrupted the swell of the open ocean.
Examples in context
- He nui kēia nalu.This wave is big.
- Hiki i ka nalu ke kō.The wave can break.
- Nā nalu i ka moana.The waves in the ocean.
Example conversation
Two friends are standing on the beach looking at the ocean.
- LeilaniNānā i kēlā nalu!Look at that wave!
- KeanuHe nalu koʻikoʻi ia.That is a steep wave.
- LeilaniHiki paha iā ʻoe ke holo?Can you ride it?
- KeanuʻAe, e holo au i kēlā nalu.Yes, I will ride that wave.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wave” translations and entries nalu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
