---
title: wei — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wei» in the school dictionary: «Wei» (喂) is what people say when they answer the phone in Chinese, like «hello?»; it sounds like «way». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wei

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Wei, people, phone, wèi, that, Ni hao · **What happens:** be, answer, sound, stomach, give, name · **To what, where:** phone, Chinese, part, common Chinese surname, old Chinese kingdoms, Beijing · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«wei» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [wei in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wei.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: Mandarin, pinyin — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Wei» (喂) is what people say when they answer the phone in Chinese, like «hello?»; it sounds like «way».

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:m1:1
# text = «Wei» (喂) is what people say when they answer the phone in Chinese, like «hello?»; it sounds like «way».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	喂	喂	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	obj	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	13	mark	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	answer	answer	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	Chinese	Chinese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	like	like	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	hello	hello	INTJ	UH	_	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
25	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	nsubj	_	_
26	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
27	like	like	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
28	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	29	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Wei |  |  |  |  | say *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: assert* | present | people | the phone |  | Chinese |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent phone=Theme hello=Eventuality |
| 3 | **sound** | present | phone |  |  |  |  | like way | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: Mandarin, pinyin — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Wei» is part of many other Chinese words, for example «wèi» (为) «for», «wèi» (位) a polite counting word for people, and «wèi» (胃) «stomach».

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:m2:1
# text = «Wei» is part of many other Chinese words, for example «wèi» (为) «for», «wèi» (位) a polite counting word for people, and «wèi» (胃) «stomach».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	wèi	wèi	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	13	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
17	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	为	为	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	_
20	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
24	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	wèi	wèi	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	_
27	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	位	位	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	28	punct	_	_
30	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
31	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	33	amod	_	_
32	counting	counting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	33	compound	_	_
33	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	appos	_	_
34	for	for	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
35	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	33	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	45	punct	_	_
37	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	45	cc	_	_
38	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	39	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	wèi	wèi	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	45	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	39	punct	_	_
41	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	42	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	胃	胃	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	39	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	42	punct	_	_
44	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	45	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	stomach	stomach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	45	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Wei | part |  |  |  | of many other Chinese words; for example | tree rules |
| 2 | **stomach** *in a quote* |  | wèi |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: a name — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wei is a common Chinese surname and given name, and the name of old Chinese kingdoms.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:m3:1
# text = Wei is a common Chinese surname and given name, and the name of old Chinese kingdoms.
1	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	surname	surname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	kingdoms	kingdom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Wei | a common Chinese surname and given name and the name of old Chinese kingdoms |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **name** |  |  | old Chinese kingdoms |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Wei? Ni hao!» — that is how he answered the phone.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* «Wei?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x1:1
# text = «Wei?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Ni hao!» — that is how he answered the phone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x1:2
# text = Ni hao!» — that is how he answered the phone.
1	Ni	ni	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	hao	hao	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:outer	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | that |  |  |  |  | how *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Ni hao | the phone |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent phone=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Wei» sounds like the English word «way».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x2:1
# text = «Wei» sounds like the English word «way».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sound** | present | Wei |  |  |  |  | like the English word | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My friend Wei comes from Beijing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x3:1
# text = My friend Wei comes from Beijing.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
4	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Beijing	Beijing	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | My friend |  |  | Beijing |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from beijing=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mr Wei teaches us Mandarin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x4:1
# text = Mr Wei teaches us Mandarin.
1	Mr	Mr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	teaches	teach	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | present | Mr Wei | Mandarin | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient mandarin=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Chinese, «wei» has different meanings for different tones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x5:1
# text = In Chinese, «wei» has different meanings for different tones.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Chinese	Chinese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	wei	wei	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	meanings	meaning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	tones	tone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | wei | different meanings |  | Chinese |  | for different tones | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The kingdom of Wei was in ancient China.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wei:x6:1
# text = The kingdom of Wei was in ancient China.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kingdom	kingdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Wei	Wei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	China	China	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the kingdom of Wei |  |  | ancient China |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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