hapa

[hah-puh]

noun

1. (especially in Hawaii and California) a person of mixed-race heritage who identifies racially and culturally as both white and of Asian descent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hapa¹

First recorded in 1985–90; from Hawaiian Pidgin: “half”

Example Sentences

"We have such a small profit margin that every single day matters," said Kiaha Kurek, who owns a Hawaiian food truck in Portland called Hapa Howies, which serves a variety of hot lunch plates.

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The Hawaiian term hapa developed in the early 20th century to describe someone of mixed heritage, usually with Pacific Islander or Asian heritage.

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Hapa was originally a derogatory term used to describe mixed-raced children of Hawaiian women and plantation guest workers from China, Korea and the Philippines.

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More specifically, with the casting of Momoa, Aquaman becomes a hapa superhero.

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However, over the course of the 20th century, hapa subjects transformed the meaning of the word from one with derogatory connotations to one charged with affirmative associations.

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