adj Uncommon

pau

Pau (adj) means Finished or done, especially in Hawaiian Pidgin English. Example: “We're pau for the day, so let's head home.”

adj

Finished or done, especially in Hawaiian Pidgin English.

"We're pau for the day, so let's head home."

"The job is pau — no more work needed."

noun

A traditional unit of liquid volume used in parts of Malaysia and Brunei, roughly a third of a litre.

"The recipe called for one pau of coconut milk."

How to use pau

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishIn Hawaiian Pidgin, it simply means "done" or "over."

When to use it

Informal, regional usage rather than standard English.

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We're _____ for the day, so let's head home.

The "finished" sense comes from Hawaiian pau via Hawaiian Pidgin English.

au eau Tau Bau lau Mau Hau Yau Kau beau Frau luau

What does “pau” mean?

The word “pau” means finished or done, especially in Hawaiian Pidgin English. In plain terms, in Hawaiian Pidgin, it simply means "done" or "over.".

How do you use “pau” in a sentence?

Here is “pau” used in a sentence: “We're pau for the day, so let's head home.”

What part of speech is “pau”?

Depending on how it is used, “pau” can be an adjective and a noun.

Is “pau” a common word?

“Pau” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “pau” have?

“Pau” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: finished or done, especially in Hawaiian Pidgin English.

Vocabulary lists that include pau: