尉 (wèi) - Military officer & military rank

尉Tone 4

wèi ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

尉 · wèi

Military officer;

military rank;

official title;

also used in place names and surnames.

Military officermilitary rankofficial title

Usage highlights

CaptainLieutenantSecond LieutenantMilitary officerWei CountyCommandant

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 兵— Soldier (subordinate)
  • 民— Civilian

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was promoted to captain (上尉).
  • The lieutenant commanded the platoon (中尉 commanded).
  • Wei County is in Hebei Province (尉县).
  • The military police arrested the suspect (宪尉 arrested).

Collocations

  • Captain(上尉)
  • Lieutenant(中尉)
  • Second Lieutenant(少尉)
  • Military officer(尉官)
  • Wei County(尉县)
  • Commandant(都尉)

Idioms

  • Rising through military ranks(尉缭子)
  • The commandant's authority(都尉威严)
  • Captain's responsibility(尉职在肩)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically a military rank in imperial China, dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties.
  • Used in place names such as Wei County (尉县) in Hebei Province.
  • A relatively uncommon but existing Chinese surname.

FAQ