Quick Answer
"Pilau" (pronounced "pee-LAU") is a Hawaiian word meaning "stinky," "rotten," "spoiled," or "disgusting." It's used to describe bad smells, spoiled food, or anything foul and unpleasant. The word can describe literal bad odors (like rotten fish) or be used figuratively for corrupt behavior or morally "rotten" situations. It's one of the most commonly used Hawaiian words in everyday local speech: "Ho, da rubbish pilau!" (The trash stinks!), "Dat was one pilau move" (That was a rotten thing to do).
Breakdown:
- "Pi" - sounds like "pee"
- "lau" - rhymes with "ow" (like saying "ouch")
Say it together: "pee-LAU" - emphasis on the second syllable
Note: Some people pronounce it closer to "pih-LAU" with a shorter first syllable. Both are acceptable!
Literal Meaning
"Pilau" is a genuine Hawaiian word that primarily means foul-smelling, rotten, or decomposed. It was traditionally used to describe spoiled food, rotting organic matter, or anything that had gone bad. Given Hawaii's warm climate where food spoils quickly, this word was (and still is) very practical!
Extended Meanings
"Pilau" has expanded beyond just bad smells:
- Physical: Stinky, smelly, rotten, spoiled
- Moral: Corrupt, unethical, "dirty" (as in dirty politics)
- General: Disgusting, gross, foul, nasty
- Behavior: Sneaky, underhanded, shady
Cultural Usage
"Pilau" is one of those Hawaiian words that everyone in Hawaii knows and uses, regardless of their background. It's fully integrated into local speech and is probably one of the first Hawaiian words visitors learn - usually when someone warns them that the fish at the back of the fridge is "pilau"!
"Ho, dis fish stay pilau! Throw um out!"
Translation: "Whoa, this fish is rotten! Throw it out!"
"Brah, yo slippers stay pilau. Leave um outside!"
Translation: "Dude, your slippers are stinky. Leave them outside!"
"Dat politician stay pilau - all about da money."
Translation: "That politician is corrupt - all about the money."
"Dat was one pilau thing fo do!"
Translation: "That was a disgusting/terrible thing to do!"
"Da water at dat beach stay pilau - too much runoff."
Translation: "The water at that beach is gross - too much runoff."
"Check da expiration - I tink da milk stay pilau."
Translation: "Check the expiration - I think the milk is spoiled."
🦨 Common Things Described as "Pilau"
Physical Things
- 🐟 Spoiled fish or seafood
- 🥛 Sour milk or expired dairy
- 🗑️ Overflowing garbage
- 👟 Stinky shoes/slippers
- 🧦 Dirty socks or laundry
- 💩 Animal messes
Polluted water
Figurative Uses
- 🏛️ Corrupt politicians
- 💼 Shady business deals
Nasty gossip or rumors - 😈 Mean or cruel behavior
- 🤥 Dishonest actions
- 💔 Betrayal
- ⚖️ Unfair treatment
Hauna
Smelly, stinky - similar meaning to pilau
Pupuka
Ugly - can also imply unpleasant
Kapulu
Dirty, filthy, unkempt
Ino
Bad, wicked, harmful
Junk
Pidgin for bad, no good, broken
Stink
English equivalent for bad smell/behavior
What does pilau mean in Hawaiian and Pidgin?
Pilau (pronounced pee-LAU) means stink, rotten, spoiled, or foul in Hawaiian and Hawaiian Pidgin. Locals use it for bad smells and spoiled food ("dis fish stay pilau") as well as corrupt, shady, or dirty-minded behavior ("dat was one pilau move").
How do you pronounce pilau?
Pilau is pronounced pee-LAU (or pih-LAU), with two syllables and stress on the second syllable: "pi" sounds like "pee" and "lau" rhymes with "ow" or "cow."
What is the difference between pilau and hauna?
Both describe bad smells in Hawaii, but hauna specifically refers to a strong, unpleasant odor (especially fishy or musky smells), while pilau means rotten, putrid, or filthy and is also used figuratively for bad character or corrupt actions.
What does it mean to call a person pilau?
Calling a person pilau means they are acting rotten, shady, corrupt, or dirty-minded. For example, "Dat politician stay pilau" means they are corrupt, while calling a friend pilau after a dirty joke is playful teasing.
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