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1. Hawaiian
What it means everywhere else: Someone living in Hawaii.
What it means in Hawaii: Word exclusively used to refer to indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands, all other residents are “locals.”
2. Poke
What it means everywhere else: To prod someone, often with one’s finger.
What it means in Hawaii: A delicious variety of raw seafood salad blends that are very popular in Hawaii, pronounced “po-kay.”
3. Slippers
What it means everywhere else: A comfortable slip-on shoe, worn exclusively indoors or to bed.
What it means in Hawaii: What the locals call flip-flops.
4. Stairway To Heaven
What it means everywhere else: A very, very long 1971 Led Zeppelin song which most people strive to play when first learning the guitar.
What it means in Hawaii: A steep hiking path on the island of O’ahu that provides amazing views of the island to those brave enough to break the law by climbing it.
5. Lei
What it means everywhere else: To put something down.
What it means in Hawaii: A colorful floral necklace frequently seen around Hawaii.
6. Zippy
What it means everywhere else: Quick, speedy.
What it means in Hawaii: A chain restaurant found exclusively in Hawaii that serves up a menu of American, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Hawaiian cuisine 24 hours a day.
7. Pupu
What it means everywhere else: Excrement.
What it means in Hawaii: A delicious tray of Hawaiian appetizers.
8. Aloha
What it means everywhere else: The word that famously means both “hello” and “goodbye.”
What it means in Hawaii: A catch-all word that refers to all things good including, happiness, kindness, harmony, and of course, hello and goodbye.
9. Spam
What it means everywhere else: “Something Posing As Meat” that comes from a can.
What it means in Hawaii: Pork shoulder meat that’s delicious when prepared correctly and found on nearly every menu in Hawaii.
10. Rainbow Warrior
What it means everywhere else: Likely a Saturday morning cartoon hero that fights his or her enemies with rainbows.
What it means in Hawaii: The nickname for the local University of Hawaii’s sports teams. Note that some of their teams have chosen to drop the word “rainbow” in recent years, simply going by the “warriors.”
11. Online Shopping
What it means everywhere else: A quick, efficient means of getting things that can’t be bought locally.
What it means in Hawaii: An extremely expensive means of acquiring goods that can’t be found in Hawaii, with shipping prices often out-costing the actual product.
12. Frozen Foods Section
What it means everywhere else: The “I Have No Money” section. It’s the section at the grocery store full of super cheap frozen products.
What it means in Hawaii: The “What Am I? Made Of Money?!” section. One of the most expensive sections to buy groceries, as almost all items are essentially imported.
13. Daylight Savings Time
What it means everywhere else: Two moments in a year in which clocks get turned either one hour ahead or one hour back.
What it means in Hawaii: Something that’s nonexistent in Hawaii.
14. Home Insurance
What it means everywhere else: An insurance plan that often protects your home from break-ins, fires, floods, and tornados.
What it means in Hawaii: An insurance plan that often protects your home from lava damage.
15. Rice
What it means everywhere else: A side dish.
What it means in Hawaii: Basically a food group in Hawaii, as this food comes with nearly every meal.
16. Hawaiian Shirt
What it means everywhere else: A shirt with a floral pattern that people wear in Hawaii.
What it means in Hawaii: A shirt with a floral pattern that tourists wear in Hawaii.
17. Traffic
What it means everywhere else: The occasional problem of congestion on the roadways.
What it means in Hawaii: A daily occurrence that is potentially the most infuriating thing about the islands, especially in Honolulu, home to the 2nd worst traffic in the country.
18. Vog
What it means everywhere else: This word isn’t really found outside of Hawaii, except perhaps in rhyming dictionaries under “dog.”
What it means in Hawaii: A smog created by volcanic dust and gases.
19. Snakes
What it means everywhere else: A reptile that’s famous for its long tube-like shape, commonly found in gardens.
What it means in Hawaii: Illegal contraband not typically found on Hawaii of which mere possession can result in a $200,000 fine and up to 3 years in prison.
20. Rust
What it means everywhere else: A chemical reaction that causes old things to wither away.
What it means in Hawaii: A yellowish-brown substance that can be found on almost anything, regardless of its age. Yep, there’s that much moisture on the islands.
21. Strike
What it means everywhere else: Knocking down all of the pins while bowling. Essentially, what you want in bowling.
What it means in Hawaii: When dockworkers refuse to work, stopping imports and seemingly bringing the islands to a grinding halt. Essentially, what NO ONE wants on Hawaii.
22. Billboards
What it means everywhere else: Large roadside advertisements that stretch several stories into the sky.
What it means in Hawaii: Nope, none of those here.
23. Speeding
What it means everywhere else: Driving your automobile faster than the posted limit, usually anything over 75 miles per hour.
What it means in Hawaii: Driving your automobile faster than the posted limit, usually no more than a measly 55-60 miles per hour.
24. ABCs
What it means everywhere else: The alphabet.
What it means in Hawaii: ABC Stores, one of the most touristy places to shop.
25. Hawaii
What it means everywhere else: A tiny island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean that makes for a great vacation spot.
What it means in Hawaii: The best place in the world to live, full of awesome beach days, incomparable sunsets, and some of the freshest cuisine around.
What other words mean something different in the Hawaii? Tell us in the comments below!