noun
ohana
oh-HAH-nah
Ohana (noun) means Family in the Hawaiian sense: not only blood relatives but everyone bound to you by loyalty and care, none of whom is left behind. Example: “He treats his whole crew as ohana.”
noun
1
Hawaiian Family in the Hawaiian sense: not only blood relatives but everyone bound to you by loyalty and care, none of whom is left behind.
"He treats his whole crew as ohana."
"The gathering brought together three generations of the ohana."
2
Hawaii, regional In Hawaii, a small secondary dwelling on a residential lot, built for a relative or rented out; also called an ohana unit.
"The property has a two-bedroom house with an ohana out back."
How to use ohana
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHawaiian for family — including the people you choose, not just relatives.
When to use it
A Hawaiian word used in English. Written with a leading ʻokina in careful Hawaiian-language contexts.
Memory tip
It works as a collective noun: say "the ohana gathered", not "the ohanas".
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
ohana means family
part of the ohana
ohana unit
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He treats his whole crew as _____.
Etymology
Hawaiian ʻohana, from ʻohā, the shoot that grows from the taro root — a family understood as growth from a common stock.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for ohana
See all rhymes for ohana →Frequently asked questions
What does "ohana means family" come from?
It is the line from Disney's Lilo & Stitch — "ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten" — which is why most people outside Hawaii know the word. The Hawaiian sense is genuine, though it is an ordinary everyday word there rather than a slogan.
How do you spell and pronounce it properly?
In Hawaiian it is written ʻohana, beginning with an ʻokina, a glottal stop, and pronounced oh-HAH-nah with a small catch before the first vowel. English text usually drops the ʻokina.
Is it disrespectful to use ohana if you are not Hawaiian?
Using it warmly and accurately is generally accepted; putting it on merchandise, tattoos or business names is where Native Hawaiians often object, since it commercialises a word from a culture whose language was suppressed for decades.
What is the meaning of ohana?
"ohana" (noun) means family in the Hawaiian sense: not only blood relatives but everyone bound to you by loyalty and care, none of whom is left behind.
