喂 wèi — hello (on the telephone)

Meanings

1. 1

   hello (on the telephone)

   How a Chinese phone call opens, from either end. On the telephone it is usually said with a rising second tone, wéi, which sounds softer than the dictionary form wèi.

   interjectionspoken
2. 2

   hey! (calling out to someone)

   interjection

   Shouted at someone in the street, 喂 with a full fourth tone is abrupt — fine among friends, rude to a stranger.

Example sentences

• 喂，你在哪儿？/喂，你在哪兒？Wéi, (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) nǎr? (third tone, dipping)···

  Hello? Where are you?

• 喂，请问医生在吗？/喂，請問醫生在嗎？Wéi, (second tone, rising) qǐngwèn (third tone, dipping) yīshēng (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)···

  Hello — is the doctor there, please?

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