arare (ah-RAH-reh)
sometimes: kakimochi, mochi crunch
Noun A popular Japanese bite-sized rice cracker made from glutinous rice, flavored with soy sauce, often mixed with popcorn or eaten as a snack.
"Eh, you went forget the arare for the popcorn or what?"
scosh (SKOSH)
sometimes: sukoshi, skosh
Noun A small amount or portion of something.
"Give me just a scosh more rice"
shoyu (SHOW-yoo)
sometimes: shōyu, soy sauce
Noun Soy sauce; a staple condiment in Hawaii used in cooking, marinades, and as a dipping sauce.
"Pass da shoyu, please"
niele (NEE-eh-leh)
sometimes: nīele
Adjective Nosy, inquisitive, or overly curious about other people's business.
"No be so niele, sistah. It's none yo business."
banana (bah-NAH-nah)
Slang A derogatory or teasing term for an Asian American person who has assimilated entirely into white American culture (yellow on the outside, white on the inside).
"Since Yuki went college mainland, she came back one total banana, only drinking oat milk lattes and talking like one valley girl."
hau (HOW)
sometimes: hau bush, hau tree
Noun A sprawling coastal tree or bush in the hibiscus family known for its dense, tangled branches. Historically used by Hawaiians to make cordage, outrigger canoe floats, and medicine.
"We wen use hau fo tie down da canoe."