Meaning
In Hawaiʻi Pidgin and local English, choke can mean a lot, many, much, or a large amount or number. The exact mainstream-English translation depends on what the word modifies.
How it is used
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo orientation material uses choke naturally and immediately glosses it as ‘a lot’ in the phrase ‘choke (a lot) fun,’ providing direct current institutional evidence for the Hawaiʻi quantity sense. University of Hawaiʻi Sato Center material independently establishes Hawaiʻi Creole English, locally called Pidgin, as a distinct creole language with its own vocabulary and grammar. University of Hawaiʻi Press historical scholarship documents a long Hawaiʻi English/Pidgin history of locally distinctive quantity expressions, but Maperla does not use that historical material to claim an etymology for modern choke.
Examples
- “The event had choke people.”
- “We had choke fun at orientation.”
- “There was choke food left after the gathering.”
Pronunciation
· CHOHK
Tone and register
Casual and locally familiar where used. Depending on syntax, choke can function like a lot of, many, much, or very numerous rather than the standard-English verb choke.
Visitor guidance
Visitors should recognize the quantity sense from context before trying to imitate Pidgin. Do not classify this sense as ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, and do not infer Native Hawaiian identity, ethnicity, island of origin, age, class, education, surfing culture, or local authenticity from one use. If the context involves breathing, blockage, or strangling, standard English choke may be intended instead.
Cultural context
The quantity sense is useful because it shows how ordinary English-looking words can carry distinct meanings in Hawaiʻi Creole/Pidgin and local speech. Maperla keeps that local language layer separate from ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and from unrelated standard-English senses, while avoiding unsupported origin stories or identity claims.
Places represented
Open the reviewed place guide for each regional sense carried by this canonical entry.