Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

Indicator of the dual number in first and third persons of pronouns and poss. only (kāua, māua, lāua).

• References:
  • Cf. -lua #2 and Gram. 8.2.
  • PPN -ua.

Variant spelling of ʻuwā.

1. vs., Useless, unproductive, vain, to no profit, good-for-nothing, worn-out; completely unattractive.

• Examples:
  • Luhi ʻuʻa, vain effort.
• References:
  • Cf. koloʻuʻa, maʻuʻa.

2. n., A coarse mat or tapa.

1. nvi., Rain; to rain; rainy.

• Examples:
  • Ua liʻiliʻi, light rain, drizzle.
  • Kā hewahewa, he ua (FS 37), hit wildly, it's raining [let's get going, let the fight begin].
• Related:
  • Rain was beloved as it preserved the land; it was called kāhiko o ke akua, adornment of deity.
  • For symbolic connotations of rain cf. wai #1, rain, and Elbert 1962.
  • Many rains are named and associated poetically with particular places.
  • Many rain names refer to the action of rain on plants, as Hehipuahala, Kanilehua, Kinailehua, Lūlaukō, Moanianilehua, Moelehua, Pōʻaihala. Other names show the supposed effects of rain on people or their possessions, as Poʻolipilipi, Poʻonui, Popokapa, Pupūhale.
  • Rains are often referred to with ua preceding a base, as ua Kuahine. They are entered in this dictionary without initial Ua. (Ua- is retained before prepositions, as Uamakalaukoa.)
  • hoʻoua Caus/sim.; To cause rain.
    • Ē ka ʻohu kolo ē, hoʻoua ʻia mai i ulu ka ʻawa, O creeping mist, make it rain so that the kava will grow.
• References:
  • See rain.
  • See hikikiʻi #1, lehua, Hilo.
  • PPN ʻuha .

2. demontrative. Aforementioned, the one talked of.

• Related:
  • Ua is often followed by a noun and nei, here, or lā, there, and is used idiomatically (see ua o, ua ona o, mea #6, and Gram. 8.3.4).
• References:
  • PCP taua .

3. Common particle preceding verbs and denoting completed or recently completed action; to become.

• References:
  • Gram. 5.2.
  • PPN kua .