Where does “pūhenehene” come from?
pūhenehene (Hawaiian) comes from Hawaiian pū, from Proto-Polynesian puqu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian puqun, from Proto-Austronesian puqun.
pūhenehene (Hawaiian): a guessing game in which players have to guess which player has a piece of wood (the noʻa) concealed on their person
Definitions
- a guessing game in which players have to guess which player has a piece of wood (the noʻa) concealed on their person
Ancestry of “pūhenehene”, step by step
pūhenehene traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Hawaiian pū
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaiian | pū | tree, cluster of several stalks; cluster, clump;... |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | puqu | base of a tree; origin |
| 3 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | puqun | base of a tree; origin |
| 4 | Proto-Austronesian | puqun | — |
via Hawaiian henehene
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaiian | henehene | to mock, tease, laugh at |