Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

Same as ʻamaʻu, a native genus of ferns.

1. vs. Damp, wet, humid, moist, cool, refreshing. See ex., huʻahuʻa kai. Maʻū ka lepo o kēia wahi, the earth here is damp. Wā maʻu, cool time, as early morning. Hele kākou ʻoi maʻu, let's go while it's cool. Maʻū aʻela ka ihu, the nose is damp [as in a kiss]. hoʻo.maʻū To dampen, moisten, irrigate, soak, saturate, baste; to shade, cool. (PCP maakuu.)

2. Same as māʻau, to sprout. Cf. wao maʻukele.

3. nvs. A little, of some little value, of slight use but better than nothing. Cf. maʻū wale, pohō maʻū. Maʻū nō ia, it is better than nothing. He maʻū ia ike ʻana iā Hawaiʻi, this seeing of Hawaiʻi is better than nothing at all [at least it's something]. Maʻū nō ka ʻole, maʻū nō ka nele, nothing is better than that; that's worse than nothing.

1. vs., Always, steady, constant, ever, unceasing, permanent, stationary, continual, perpetual; to continue, persevere, preserve, endure, last; preservation, continuation.

• Examples:
  • Mau loa, eternal, everlasting, forever, endless.
  • Mai kēia manawa ā mau loa aku, from now to eternity; from now on and forever.
  • Hana mau ʻia, frequently done or used; common, as a word or custom; usual.
  • Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono, life of the land is preserved in righteousness [motto of Hawaiʻi].
  • Mau maila kā Ke-aka kāhea me ka peʻahi (For. 5:303), Ke-aka continued to call and wave.
  • ʻOia mau nō, continuing all right; same as usual; just the same [often said in answer to Pehea ʻoe? How are you? literally,, this continuation indeed].
• Related:
  • hoʻomau Caus/sim.; To continue, keep on, persist, renew, perpetuate, persevere, last.
    • See nuku hoʻomau.
    • Hoʻomau ʻia, continued.
    • E hoʻomau hou ʻia aku i ka laikini, renew the license.
• References:
  • PPN maʻu.

2. vs., Stopped, as menstruation (FS 115); snagged, caught, as a fish or hook; retarded; grounded, as a canoe; set, as a wager; stuck or stalled, as a car.

• Examples:
  • Mau i ka palaoa (FS 153), to wager a whaletooth pendant.
  • Mau ihola nā ihu, a lingering kiss [literally,, noses caught].
• Related:
  • hoʻomau Caus/sim.; To make fast, as an anchor in sand; to snag; to cause to be retarded, grounded, wagered, stopped.
• References:
  • PPN maʻu.

3. vs., Conceived, as at the very moment of conception.

• Related:
  • hoʻomau Caus/sim.; To mate for the purpose of having children.
    • Hoʻomau keiki, to unite in order to conceive, as of ceremonial marriage of high chiefs for purpose of begetting children of high rank.

4. n., Person who carried the wand and chanted in the ʻume game.

• References:
  • Malo 215.

5. Particle, marking plural, used principally after the k-class possessives and demonstratives, numerals, and he.

• Examples:
  • Kaʻu mau puke, my books.
• References:
  • See Gram. 10.4.
  • PCP mau.