koʻu
1. Hoo. To have a sufficiency; to be supplied with the necessaries of life. 2. n. a tree found on shores from East Africa to Polynesia (Cordia subcordata), with large, ovate leaves, and orange, tubular flowers 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter, borne in short-stemmed clusters. The beautiful wood, soft but lasting, was valuable to the early Hawaiians and was used for cups, dishes, and calabashes. 3. s. The name of a large shade tree growing mostly near the sea beach; timber good for many purposes, especially for cups, bowls, dishes, &c.; takes a polish. 4. n. old name for Honolulu harbor and vicinity, famous rendezvous for kōnane checkers. 5. poss. your, yours (o-form, singular). 6. adj. pron. Thy; thine; of thee; of you; of yours; an oblique case of oe. Gram. § 132 and 133, 3d. seekau. NOTE. It has the diphthongal sound. 7. placename. old name, until 1800, for Honolulu Harbor and vicinity, including the area from Nuʻuanu Avenue to Alakea Street and from Hotel Street to the sea (Westervelt, 1964b:15), noted for kōnane (pebble checkers) and for ulu maika (bowling), and said to be named for the executive officer (ilāmuku) of Chief Kākuhihewa of Oʻahu. (PH 168.). lit.: Kou tree. 8. vi. • to cluck.
• fig., to talk too much. 9. nvt. conception; male potency; to conceive. 10. poss. my, mine (o-form). 11. adj. pron, first person. My; mine; of me; an oblique case of au or wau, and formed like the foregoing. see Grammar § 124, 1st, and § 126, 3d. Ko'u is distinguished from kou by a slight break in the pronunciation between the preposition ko and the u and indicated in writing by an apostrophe. It is doubtless a contraction of ko ou. 12. vt. to jab with fingertips, in volleyball. Niʻihau. 13. adj. Moist; wet; damp; chilly from moisture; moist, as dry bread brought to a moist place. seekoou. 14. v. To look; to look about; to look here and there; e nana, e imi i o i o. 15. v. To cluck, as a hen.
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196
ʻAʻohe ʻoe no koʻu hālau.
You are not of my shed.
[Why do you presume to know who my ancestors are?]
220
ʻAʻole, ʻaʻole i pau koʻu loa.
No, my height is not reached.
[A remark made when there is a reference to killing by sorcery. While drowning a victim to be offered as a sacrifice, the kahuna who did the drowning held his victim down as he repeated, “No, my height is not reached,” meaning that the water covers only the victim, who was advised to “Moe mālie i ke kai o ko haku’ (“Lie still in the sea of your lord”), meaning “Don’t struggle because you are bound to die.”]
231
ʻAʻole ʻoe koʻu hoa ʻōlelo.
You are not the companion to talk with.
[You are not my equal.]
355
E naʻi wale nō ʻoukou i koʻu pono, ʻaʻole e pau.
You can seek out all the benefits I have produced and find them without number.
[Said by Kamehameha I when he was dying.]
553
He aupuni palapala koʻu; ʻo ke kanaka pono ʻo ia koʻu kanaka.
Mine is the kingdom of education; the righteous man is my man.
[Uttered by Kamehameha III.]
876
He paepae wāwae koʻu ʻili no kona kapuaʻi.
My skin is like the soles of his feet.
[An expression of humbleness acknowledging the superiority of another.]
2415
ʻŌkalakala heu pānini, ke piʻi nei koʻu maneʻo.
It is unpleasant here with fine cactus spines; I am beginning to itch.
[A taunt when someone loses his temper.]
2846
Ua pau koʻu lihi hoihoi i ka nani o Poka ʻAilana.
I havent the slightest interest in the beauty of Ford Island.
[Said when one has lost interest. This is a line from a chant.]