====== wèi: 喂 - Hello (on the phone), Hey, To feed ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** wei pinyin, wei Chinese character, meaning of 喂, how to say hello on the phone in Chinese, Chinese for hey, wei vs nihao, wei to feed, HSK 1 Chinese, 喂养, 接电话
  * **Summary:** Learn the multiple meanings of the common Chinese word **喂 (wèi)**. While it's famously known as the standard "Hello?" for answering phone calls in China, it's also used informally as "Hey!" to get someone's attention. Furthermore, **喂 (wèi)** is a verb meaning "to feed" an animal or a person. This guide covers all its uses, from answering the phone to feeding your cat, helping you avoid common mistakes like using it as a general greeting.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** wèi / wéi
  * **Part of Speech:** Interjection, Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 1
  * **Concise Definition:** An interjection used to start a phone call or get attention, and a verb meaning to feed.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **喂 (wèi)** is a versatile and context-dependent word. Its most common use for a learner is as the Chinese equivalent of "Hello?" when you pick up the phone. It's not a general greeting like `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`. It can also be used like "Hey!" or "Oi!" to grab someone's attention, which can be informal or even rude depending on your tone. Finally, it has a completely different but common meaning as a verb: "to feed."
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **喂 (wèi):** This is a phono-semantic compound character.
    * **口 (kǒu):** The "mouth" radical on the left. This part of the character signifies that the meaning is related to the mouth—either speaking, shouting, or eating.
    * **畏 (wèi):** This character on the right means "to fear," but in this context, it primarily provides the phonetic sound "wèi" to the combined character.
  * The combination suggests an action done with the mouth (口), with the sound "wèi" (from 畏). This neatly covers both its use as a spoken interjection and as the action of putting food into a mouth (feeding).
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * **The "Phone-Only" Hello:** The most critical cultural point to understand is that **喂 (wèi)** is fundamentally different from the English "Hello." While "Hello" can be used on the phone, in person, or in writing, **喂 (wèi)** is reserved almost exclusively for phone calls. Answering the phone with `你好 (nǐ hǎo)` is possible but much less common and can sound a bit formal or even like a customer service line. **喂 (wèi)** is the natural, default way to answer a personal call.
  * **Tone is Everything:** When used to get attention, the politeness of **喂 (wèi)** is 100% dependent on tone and context. A sharp, loud `Wèi!` (喂!) is like shouting "Hey, you!" and can be considered rude or aggressive. A softer, questioning `Wèi?` (喂?) to a friend who seems distracted is perfectly normal. This contrasts with Western culture where "Hey" is a very common and generally neutral informal greeting. In China, using `喂` to greet someone you know face-to-face is highly unusual; `你好` or their name is standard.
  * **A Sign of Action:** The verb usage "to feed" connects to core cultural values of nurturing and care, especially in the context of family (feeding a baby) and responsibility (feeding a pet).
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Answering the Phone:** This is its primary and most common usage. It's often said with a rising tone, like a question: `Wéi?` (喂?). This single word simultaneously means "Hello," "I've answered," and "Who is this?".
  * **Getting Someone's Attention:** Used to call out to someone who can't hear you or isn't paying attention. It's very direct. For example, if someone drops their wallet, you might shout `Wèi!` to get them to stop. Among close friends, it can be a casual "Hey!"
  * **As a Verb (To Feed):** This usage is completely unrelated to greetings and is extremely common in daily life. You use it for feeding pets, babies, or even helping an elderly or sick person eat.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** (Answering the phone)
    * **喂**？请问您是哪位？
    * Pinyin: **Wéi**? Qǐngwèn nín shì nǎ wèi?
    * English: Hello? May I ask who is calling?
    * Analysis: This is the standard, polite way to answer a phone call from an unknown number. The rising tone on **wéi** makes it a question.
  * **Example 2:** (Checking if the line is still connected)
    * **喂**？**喂**？你能听到我说话吗？信号不好。
    * Pinyin: **Wèi**? **Wèi**? Nǐ néng tīngdào wǒ shuōhuà ma? Xìnhào bù hǎo.
    * English: Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? The signal is bad.
    * Analysis: Here, repeating **喂** is used to check if the other person is still on the line, just like in English.
  * **Example 3:** (Getting attention informally/urgently)
    * **喂**！你的钱包掉了！
    * Pinyin: **Wèi**! Nǐ de qiánbāo diào le!
    * English: Hey! You dropped your wallet!
    * Analysis: In this context, the sharp, falling tone **wèi** is not rude but a necessary way to get someone's attention quickly.
  * **Example 4:** (Getting a friend's attention)
    * **喂**，你看那是什么？
    * Pinyin: **Wèi**, nǐ kàn nà shì shénme?
    * English: Hey, look what that is!
    * Analysis: Used between friends, this is casual and friendly, equivalent to "Hey" or "Psst."
  * **Example 5:** (As a verb: feeding a pet)
    * 我每天要**喂**我的猫两次。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān yào **wèi** wǒ de māo liǎng cì.
    * English: I have to feed my cat twice a day.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the verb usage. The structure is Subject + **喂** + Object (the one being fed).
  * **Example 6:** (As a verb: feeding a baby)
    * 妈妈正在给宝宝**喂**奶。
    * Pinyin: Māma zhèngzài gěi bǎobao **wèi** nǎi.
    * English: Mom is feeding the baby milk.
    * Analysis: `给 (gěi)` is often used with **喂 (wèi)** to mean "to feed (something) *to* (someone)." Here, it's "feed milk to the baby."
  * **Example 7:** (A more complete phone conversation starter)
    * **喂**，是小王吗？我是李华。
    * Pinyin: **Wéi**, shì Xiǎo Wáng ma? Wǒ shì Lǐ Huá.
    * English: Hello, is that Xiao Wang? This is Li Hua.
    * Analysis: A very common pattern after the initial "hello" on the phone is to immediately confirm who you're speaking to.
  * **Example 8:** (As a verb: feeding medicine)
    * 他病了，我得给他**喂**药。
    * Pinyin: Tā bìng le, wǒ děi gěi tā **wèi** yào.
    * English: He's sick, I have to feed him medicine.
    * Analysis: This shows the versatility of the verb `喂`. It's not just for food (`饭 fàn`) or milk (`奶 nǎi`), but for anything you administer by mouth, like medicine (`药 yào`).
  * **Example 9:** (Using it with a slightly impatient tone)
    * **喂**！我在跟你说话呢，你有没有在听？
    * Pinyin: **Wèi**! Wǒ zài gēn nǐ shuōhuà ne, nǐ yǒu méiyǒu zài tīng?
    * English: Hey! I'm talking to you, are you even listening?
    * Analysis: This demonstrates how a forceful tone can make **喂** sound impatient or confrontational. Context and relationship are key.
  * **Example 10:** (A command using the verb form)
    * 别忘了出门前**喂**狗。
    * Pinyin: Bié wàngle chūmén qián **wèi** gǒu.
    * English: Don't forget to feed the dog before you go out.
    * Analysis: A simple, practical command. This usage is extremely common in daily household conversations.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **CRITICAL MISTAKE: Never use `喂 (wèi)` for a face-to-face greeting.** This is the number one error learners make. Walking up to someone and saying `喂` is like shouting "Oi!" at them. It's jarring and can be perceived as very rude. For in-person greetings, always use `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`, `您好 (nín hǎo)`, or the person's name/title.
  * **`Wèi` vs. `Wéi`:** The tone matters. A falling tone, `wèi!`, is a command or a shout for attention. A rising tone, `wéi?`, is a question, typically used on the phone to mean "Hello? Are you there?".
  * **"False Friend": `喂 (wèi)` is not "Hello".** While it's the translation in the specific context of a phone call, it doesn't share the broad usage of "Hello." Think of it as "Phone-Hello."
  * **`喂 (wèi)` vs. `吃 (chī)`:** These two are related but distinct. `喂 (wèi)` is "to feed" – the action is done *by you to someone else*. `吃 (chī)` is "to eat" – the action is done *by someone for themselves*.
    * **Correct:** 我 **喂** 猫 (Wǒ **wèi** māo) - I feed the cat.
    * **Correct:** 猫 **吃** 鱼 (Māo **chī** yú) - The cat eats fish.
    * **Incorrect:** 猫 **喂** 鱼 (Māo **wèi** yú) - This would mean the cat is feeding the fish to someone/something else!
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[你好]] (nǐ hǎo) - The standard, all-purpose greeting for "hello." The proper choice for face-to-face interactions.
  * [[接电话]] (jiē diànhuà) - A verb phrase meaning "to answer the phone." This is the action you perform when you say `喂`.
  * [[打电话]] (dǎ diànhuà) - A verb phrase meaning "to make a phone call."
  * [[吃]] (chī) - To eat. The action performed by the person or animal being fed (`喂`).
  * [[喂养]] (wèiyǎng) - To feed, raise, or rear (an animal, a child). A slightly more formal or comprehensive term than just `喂`.
  * [[打招呼]] (dǎ zhāohu) - The general verb for "to greet" or "to say hello."
  * [[嘿]] (hēi) - "Hey." A direct loanword from English, used casually and playfully among friends, often online. It doesn't carry the potentially rude connotation of `喂`.
  * [[哎]] (āi) - An interjection used to get someone's attention or to show surprise or remembrance. It's often softer and less abrupt than `喂`.