Shaka

/SHAH-kah/

The hand sign. Thumb and pinky out, middle three fingers curled. Means hello, goodbye, thanks, aloha, all good.

Not just a word — a gesture. Raise your hand, extend your thumb and pinky, curl your middle fingers, give it a little shake. That's a shaka. It means hello, goodbye, thanks, no worries, all good, I see you. Every possible friendly greeting, compressed into one hand sign.

Examples

  • Shaka bra! (Hello, bro!)
  • Throw the shaka. (Give the hand sign.)
  • Mahalo, shaka. (Thanks, all good.)

Origin

Hawaiian

essential top-10 greeting gesture

Related phrases