Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

1. n., Bone; carcass (as of a chicken); core (as of a speech).

• Examples:
  • Kona iwi, his [own] bone.
  • Kāna iwi, his bone [as a chicken bone he is chewing on].
  • Iwi koko, bloody bones [a living person].
  • Iwi koko ʻole, bones without blood [a dead person] .
  • Kō iwi, your own interests, your own.
  • Hana nō i kā kō iwi, do for your own bones [take care of your own interests].
  • Kō kō iwi ʻāina hānau, your own land of birth.
• Related:
  • The bones of the dead, considered the most cherished possession, were hidden, and hence there are many figurative expressions with iwi meaning life, old age:
    • Na wai e hoʻōla i nā iwi? Who will save the bones? [Who will care for one in old age and in death?]
    • Maʻaneʻi au me ʻoe a waiho nā iwi, here I am with you until leaving the bones [death].
    • ʻO ʻoe nō kuʻu iwi, a me kuʻu ʻiʻo (Kin. 29.14), thou art my bone and my flesh.
    • Holehole iwi, to strip bones of flesh [to speak ill of one's kin].
    • Pili i nā iwi, to wager one's bones [one's life].
• References:
  • Cf. kaulaʻi iwi.
  • PPN iwi .

2. n., Shell, as of coconut, candlenut, gourd egg, shellfish.

• References:
  • Cf. iwi hala.

3. n., Remnants, pieces, as of coral in a lime pit after lime is extracted by burning, or as pieces of broken glass.

4. n., Corncob.

5. n., Stones or earth ridge marking land boundary.

6. n., Long line, as of surf.

7. n., Midrib, as of pili grass or ti leaf.

1. Variant of ʻiʻiwi, a bird; considered by some an ʻaumakua.

• References:
  • PCP kiwi .

2. nvs., Reddish.

3. n., Twitching of the eye, sometimes accompanied by contraction of the mouth.

• Related:
  • hōʻiwi Caus/sim.
• References:
  • PPN kiwi .