katsu

The term "katsu" originates from the Japanese verb meaning "to win" or "to be victorious." In Hawaii, older generations of Japanese Americans and locals adopted it as a slang expression to describe a situation that is perfect, successful, or completely resolved. You might hear an uncle say "all katsu" when a difficult home repair is finally finished, or when a sports team secures a definitive win. While it is widely understood by those who grew up around local Japanese culture, it is less common among younger generations today, who might only associate the word with the popular breaded and fried meat dish. Using it as slang requires a natural understanding of Pidgin rhythm; when forced by someone unfamiliar with the dialect, it can sound incredibly awkward. It is best used in casual, celebratory moments among peers to acknowledge a job well done.

The Hanapepe Friday art night was finally winding down, and Ligaya was carefully packing her shell earrings into velvet displays. Keahi stood by her folding table, eating a plate of cold garlic chicken from the corner lunch wagon, exhausted from dealing with the tourist crowds all evening. That’s when Brittany, their new coworker who had moved to Kaua‘i three months ago, jogged up with a forced, overly enthusiastic smile.

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Brittany beamed, gesturing wildly at Ligaya’s neatly organized bins. "Your whole vendor setup is just... all katsu! Like, totally katsu right now." She threw up a shaka, holding it stiffly in the air.

Keahi slowly stopped chewing, a piece of chicken hovering halfway to his mouth. Ligaya blinked, staring at Brittany in dead silence before looking down at her jewelry boxes. Brittany’s smile faltered as the heavy, awkward pause stretched on, her raised shaka slowly wilting. She had clearly heard some older Japanese uncles at the Lihu‘e post office use the word for "perfect" or "winning" earlier that week, but hearing it blasted out of context in a forced accent made Keahi want to sink directly into the Hanapepe pavement.