What does “stink eye” mean?

Meaning and local context

stink eye means A disapproving, suspicious, or hostile look. in Honolulu and Hawaii local language. A widely recognised expression strongly present in Hawaiʻi local speech.

How it is used

Give stink eye means look at someone with visible disapproval. One example is “She gave me stink eye.”, which corresponds to “She looked at me with disapproval.” in plain English.

Example interpretation

A second example is “No give stink eye.”, where the same local sense is expressed as “Do not give that hostile look.”. Reading both examples together helps distinguish this regional meaning from other possible readings of the word or phrase.

Tone and register

The phrase can describe genuine conflict, not only playful annoyance. This caution is part of understanding “stink eye”: the definition tells you what it means, while the surrounding situation and tone help you judge whether using it yourself is appropriate.