Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

1. nvi., To chirp, as a cricket; to croak, as a mudhen; crying, as in distress; whimpering, as a sleeping infant; rumor, gossip; to be attracted to; cherish, think of, as with affection.

• Examples:
  • ʻO nā kānaka Hawaiʻi, he poʻe makeʻe haku, he poʻe nēnē ʻili kapu, the Hawaiian people are people who cherish their lords, people constantly thinking of the sacred skin [of chiefs].
• Related:
  • hoʻonēnē Caus/sim.; Same as above.
    • Hoʻonēnē kaua (FS 139), rumors of war, talk or threats of war.
• References:
  • Cf. hōnēnē; nē, fretting; nēnē hiwa.

2. n., Hawaiian goose (Nesochen sandvicensis), protected and rare on Maui and in Hawaiʻi uplands (down to 40 at one time and about 1,000 in 1978).

3. n., Mat pattern: two vertical rows of triangles, with the bases below, and the apices touching the bases above.

4. n., A variety of ʻawa, stems green with dark-green spots.

• Related:
  • Also: kuaʻea.

5. Same as ʻaiakanēnē, a plant.

• References:
  • Neal 803.

6. Probably same as nēnē ʻau kai.

hehele, Tropism, i.e. a positive or negative attraction of a plant or sessile animal to a stimulus, in science.

• Source:
  • Existing dictionary word, Extended meaning
• Examples:
  • ʻIke ʻia ka nēnē ʻana o ka pua nānā lā i kona huli a hahai ʻana i ka lā mai ka piʻi ʻana i ke kakahiaka a hiki i ka napoʻo ʻana i ke ahiahi. Tropism is evident in sunflowers as the flower turns toward and follows the sun throughout the day.

Hawaiian goose (Branta sandwicensis) native to the Hawaiian group on Hawaiʻi and Maui. It was intensively hunted but now, after a miracle of protective growth, it is achieving a cautious promise of recovery.

The native Hawaiian geese, however, do not know what it is to hiss, and their name, nēnē, is utterly unlike our idea of what hissing is.

Mat pattern of two vertical rows of triangles with the bases below and the points touching the bases above; flying-geese motif.

To cherish; to think of, as with affection.

Woody, trailing plant (Coprosma ernodeoides) that grows prostrate over lava rocks on the islands of Maui and Hawaiʻi only. The fruit is a black berry. Also called kūkae none, dung goose; lepo nēnē, filth goose. See ʻai a ka nēnē. Lit., food goose.