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)
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)
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`.