Kau kau

/COW cow/

Food. Eating. Lunch time.

Older-generation pidgin for food. Came from plantation days. "Kau kau time" is meal time. "Kau kau tin" was the metal lunch pail workers carried. Still used today, especially by older locals. Grandkids say "grinds," grandparents say "kau kau."

Examples

  • You pau with your kau kau yet? (You done with your food?)
  • We go kau kau. (Let's go eat.)
  • Buta kau kau can. (Pig food can — old plantation slop bucket.)

Origin

Mixed

Alternate spellings

We go Kau Kau, buta kau kau

food plantation-era

Related phrases

Broke da mouth

Incredibly delicious. So good it breaks your mouth.

Grinds

Food. A meal. To eat.

Kanak attack

The food coma after a big local meal.

Lilikoi

Passion fruit.

← Back to full dictionary