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pilikia

/ˌpiliˈkiɑ/
IPA guide

Other forms: pilikias

You may hear the word pilikia in Hawaii. It means "trouble" or "problem," and it's a broad term for anything from a minor nuisance to a major crisis.

A popular slang phrase using this term is nui pilikia, which means "big trouble." A boat captain might refer to ominous clouds on the horizon as indicating nui pilikia. The term pilikia is also commonly used in the response 'a'ole pilikia, which means the opposite: "no problem" or "no trouble." It's a casual, polite way to accept a "thank you," as in "It was no trouble at all" or "No problem!"

Definitions of pilikia
  1. noun
    trouble
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