Pōʻakolu
/poː.ʔaˈko.lu/
Wednesday in Hawaiian is Pōʻakolu.
Pōʻakolu is the noun used to refer to the day of the week Wednesday.
Meaning: day of the week (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of pōʻa (day) and kolu (three), literally meaning 'third day'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /poː.ʔaˈko.lu/.
Did you know?
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of time was often fluid and tied to nature, meaning the rigid seven-day week containing Pōʻakolu was introduced via Western contact.
- The word Pōʻakolu shares a structural pattern with the Māori word Rātoru and the Iban word Hari Tiga, as all three describe the day as the 'third' in a sequence.
- While English uses 'Wednesday' to honor the god Woden, Hawaiian uses a logical, secular system based on the order of the days.
Examples in context
- He Pōʻakolu kēia.This is Wednesday.
- E hele ana māua i ka Pōʻakolu.We are going on Wednesday.
- ʻAʻole anei kēia Pōʻakolu?Is this not Wednesday?
Example conversation
Malia and Kai are planning a lunch date.
- MaliaE ʻai kākou i ke Pōʻakolu?Shall we eat on Wednesday?
- KaiʻAe, hiki iaʻu i ke Pōʻakolu.Yes, I can make it on Wednesday.
- MaliaMa luna o ka lāʻau i ke Pōʻakolu?At the restaurant on Wednesday?
- KaiʻAe, a hui nouna i ke Pōʻakolu.Yes, see you on Wednesday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Wednesday” translations and entries Pōʻakolu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pōʻakolu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
