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March 24, 2026
喂wèi(wei4)
The character 喂 (wéi) is commonly used as an informal greeting when answering the phone or getting someone's attention, similar to 'hello' or 'hey' in English. Additionally, it can mean 'to feed' in contexts related to animals or infants. Its dual usage makes it versatile in both social and practical situations.
Strokes12Radical口Frequency#315DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, answering the phone with 喂 is standard practice. It reflects the casual yet direct communication style that many Chinese people prefer, especially among friends and family.
Memory Tip
Think of the character 喂 as a person holding food (the mouth radical '口' represents speaking or calling out) while saying 'hey' to get someone's attention. The pronunciation 'wéi' sounds like 'way', as in 'a way to feed someone'. Imagine someone feeding a baby while calling out, 'Hey!'
Meanings of 喂
wèi(wei4)
primary
1hey
2hello (when answering the phone)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 喂
喂Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
叹词tàncíinterjection (interj.)Part of Speech
#315Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 喂
Podcast: 喂
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AI Study Notes for 喂
Usage Notes
喂 is primarily informal and should be used in casual conversations, especially over the phone. A common mistake is using it in very formal contexts, where a greeting like 您好 (nín hǎo) would be more appropriate. Be aware of the tone; the correct pronunciation is with a rising tone, not falling.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 喂 connects with other basic greetings and expressions. Focus on practicing its usage in telephone conversations and casual settings, as well as its feeding connotation, to enhance your vocabulary and fluency.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 喂 in formal greetings or in written communication, where a more respectful greeting is required. For example, saying 喂 to a boss instead of 您好 (nín hǎo) is inappropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 喂
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 畏 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half畏 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 喂? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 喂?
Decomposition of 喂
IDS Structure⿰口畏
喂Full Character
=
口kou3
left
畏wei4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 喂?
How to say hey in Chinese
“hey” in Chinese is喂wéi
The character 喂 (wéi) is commonly used as an informal greeting when answering the phone or getting someone's attention, similar to 'hello' or 'hey' in English. Additionally, it can mean 'to feed' in contexts related to animals or infants. Its dual usage makes it versatile in both social and practical situations.
When to use 喂
喂 is primarily informal and should be used in casual conversations, especially over the phone. A common mistake is using it in very formal contexts, where a greeting like 您好 (nín hǎo) would be more appropriate. Be aware of the tone; the correct pronunciation is with a rising tone, not falling.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 喂 in formal greetings or in written communication, where a more respectful greeting is required. For example, saying 喂 to a boss instead of 您好 (nín hǎo) is inappropriate.
Write 喂
喂
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Practice writing 喂 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 喂
喂 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
