Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

vt., To scour, rub, polish, grind, scrape; to drag a scraping object; to mark a line from which marbles are shot.

• References:
  • Cf. kuakuai.
  • PNP tuai .

1. v., To rub one thing against another; to grind by rubbing one surface against another; to rub or stir round, as flour in sifting it.

2. To barter one thing for another. NOTE. This was the ancient idea of selling and buying, as Hawaiians formerly had no common circulating medium.

3. To traffic or exchange one commodity for another; after coin began to circulate, kuai lilo mai signified to buy, and kuai lilo aku, to sell. Puk. 21:16. At present, the phrase is contracted into kuai mai, to buy, and kuai aku, to sell; ina i make kahi kanaka, a kuai ia oia i ke akua kii.

adj., Of or belonging to trade; he hale kuai, a house for sale, or a house where sales are made, i.e., a store; waiwai kuai, goods or property for sale.

adj., Of or belonging to trade: he hale kuai, a house for sale, or a house where sales are made, that is, a store; waiwai kuai, goods or property for sale.

1. v., To rub one thing against another.

2. v., To grind by rubbing one surface against another.

3. v., To rub or stir round, as in sifting flour.

1. v., To barter one thing for another. (This was the ancient idea of selling and buying, as Hawaiians formerly had no common circulating medium.)

2. v., To traffic or exchange one commodity for another. After coin began to circulate, kuai lilo mai signified to buy, and kuai lilo aku, to sell. At present, the phrase is contracted into kuai mai, to buy, and kuai aku, to sell.