Hawaiian Verb · Land
hoʻopunawai
Pronunciation: /ho-oh-poo-nah-WAI/
Meaning
To make a spring or well; to irrigate. Act of bringing water to land.
Example sentences
Pono kākou e hoʻopunawai i ka māla ʻai me ka wai mai ke kahawai e ulu maikaʻi ai nā mea kanu.
We must irrigate the garden with water from the stream so the plants can grow well.
ʻO ka ʻoihana kahiko o nā kūpuna, he hoʻopunawai lākou i ka ʻāina me nā kahawai i hana ʻia.
The ancient practice of our ancestors was to irrigate the land with created streams.
Ma mua o ka hoʻomaka ʻana o ka ua, ua hoʻopunawai lākou i nā waihona wai e pale ai i ka maloʻo.
Before the rain started, they made wells to store water to prevent dryness.
About this word
“hoʻopunawai” is a Hawaiian verb meaning To make a spring or well; to irrigate. It is part of the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) vocabulary in the category of Land. Definitions are based on the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary.