A-frame – A peak-shaped wave, with left and right shoulders, and the highest point of the rest in the middle of the peak.
Auntie – A respectful term for a woman who is of your parents’ generation or older:
Brah – Short for braddah or bruddah (“brother”). A casual, friendly way of addressing a male: Eh, brah — you wanna surf?
Break Line -The line where waves begin to break. All things being equal, waves will begin to break when they reach water depth equaling approximately 1.3 times the wave face height.
Broke da mouth (broke dah mowt) – Extremely delicious: Dis shrimp broke da mouth, auntie!
Bumbai (bum-BYE) – Short for “by and by.” Otherwise, or else, eventually: You bettah study bumbai you flunk da test tomorrow.
Chang – Miserly, overly frugal: C’mon, gimme some more, brah — you so chang!
Chicken skin – Goosebumps: Dat ghost story always give me chicken skin!
Da kine – A catchall phrase that is often used to fill in a mental blank when talking, similar to “whatchamacallit”: Let’s go to da kine place we grind at last week.
Dawn patrol - Early morning surf session before the sunrise. This time usually offers the least crowded and cleanest conditions before the winds pick up.
Grind – Eat.
Haole (HOW-leh) – A Caucasian person, or mainlander not including people of Portuguese descent. Not an insult, just matter of fact.
Howzit – A greeting, equivalent to “How are you?” or “How is it going?”
Kanaka (kah-NAH-kah) – A person of Native Hawaiian descent.
Kau kau (KOW kow) – Food, eat.
‘K den – An expression of farewell, equivalent to “OK, then — goodbye.”
Like beef? – An invitation to fight, equivalent to “You wanna step outside and settle this?”
Lolo – Stupid, absent-minded, crazy. Moron, imbecile.
Mahalo – thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects.
Moke (MOHK) – A local man who looks and acts tough.
No need – Equivalent to “you/I don’t need it” or “that’s not necessary”: No need shoes in Hawaii brah— just slippahs!
Ohana - means family, friends, relatives. Not always blood related, but the circle of close persons you surround yourself.
Rajah dat (RAH-jah dat) – Equivalent to “Roger, that!” meaning “Yes,” “OK,” or “I agree.”
rubbish – Trash, garbage.
Scrap – Fight, argue (see also like beef?): In small kid time, me and him scrap all da time afta school.
Shaka (SHAH-kah) – Hand signal in which index, middle, and ring finger are folded down while thumb and pinkie are extended, with palm facing body. Means “hi,” “goodbye,” or “thank you.”
Shoots – Equivalent to saying “OK” or “I strongly agree”: Shoots, I’ll take some of dat free kau kau!
Sistah – The feminine equivalent of brah.
Slippahs – Equivalent to “slippers,” meaning flip-flop sandals.
Small kid time – Equivalent to saying “back when I was younger”: I know her since small kid time.
Stink eye – Dirty look: Da tita gimme stink eye when I ask her out.
Tanks – Equivalent to saying “thanks” in a sarcastic way: Tanks, bruddah — now dat I no need!
Tita (TEE-tah) – A local woman who is tough and masculine. Feminine equivalent of moke.
Uncle – Masculine equivalent of auntie. Not necessarily blood relative.