Wei (rank)

"Shao Wei" redirects here. For the American poet, see Shao Wei (poet).

"Da Wei" redirects here. For the Chinese video game producer, see Liu Wei (born 1987).

Wei is a company-grade officer rank used in some East Asian militaries, including China, Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea.

Wei
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	尉
Simplified Chinese	尉
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin wèi Wade–Giles wei
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	úy
Chữ Hán	尉
Korean name
Hangul	위
Hanja	尉
Transcriptions Revised Romanization wi
Japanese name
Kanji	尉
Transcriptions Romanization wi

Chinese variant

People's Liberation Army

The same rank names are used for all services, prefixed by haijun (simplified Chinese: 海军; traditional Chinese: 海軍; lit. 'naval force') or kongjun (simplified Chinese: 空军; traditional Chinese: 空軍; lit. 'air force').

Rank group	Junior officers
Chinese	大尉	上尉	中尉	少尉
Pinyin	Dàwèi	Shàngwèi	Zhōngwèi	Shǎowèi
Literal translation	Great officer	Upper officer	Middle officer	Lower officer
PLA Ground Forces[1]	Used only 1955–1965
PLA Navy[1]
PLA Air Force[1]
People's Armed Police[1]
	大尉 Da wei	上尉 Shang wei	中尉 Zhong wei	少尉 Shao wei
Rank group	Junior officers

Republic of China Armed Forces

Rank group	Junior officers
Chinese	上尉	中尉	少尉
Taiwanese Hokkien	Siōng-ùi	Tiong-ùi	Siáu-ùi
Literal translation	Upper officer	Middle officer	Lower officer
Republic of China Army[2]
Republic of China Navy[2]
Republic of China Air Force[2]
Republic of China Marine Corps[2]
	上尉 Siōng-ùi	中尉 Tiong-ùi	少尉 Siáu-ùi
Rank group	Junior officers

Korean variant

See also: Comparative military ranks of Korea

Wi
Hangul	위
Hanja	尉
Revised Romanization	Wi
McCune–Reischauer	Wi

North Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
Hangul	대위	상위	중위	소위
Hanja	大尉	上尉	中尉	少尉
Romanization	Taewi	Sangwi	Chungwi	Sowi
Literal translation	Great rank	Upper rank	Middle rank	Lower rank
Korean People's Army Ground Force[3]
		Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Korean People's Navy[3]
		Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign
Korean People's Army Air Force[3]
		Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
	대위 Taewi	상위 Sangwi	중위 Chungwi	소위 Sowi
Rank group	Junior officers

South Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
Hangul	대위	중위	소위	준위
Hanja	大尉	中尉	少尉	准尉
Romanization	Daewi	Jungwi	Sowi	Junwi
Literal translation	Great rank	Middle rank	Small rank	Given rank
Republic of Korea Army[4]
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
Republic of Korea Navy[5]
Translation[6]	Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign	Warrant officer
Republic of Korea Air Force
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
Republic of Korea Marine Corps
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi	소위 Sowi	준위 Junwi
Rank group	Junior officers

Vietnamese variant

Rank group	Junior officers
Native name	Đại úy	Thượng úy	Trung úy	Thiếu úy
Chữ Hán	大尉	上尉	中尉	少尉
Literal translation	Grand officer	Upper officer	Middle officer	Smaller officer
Vietnam People's Ground Force[7]
Vietnam People's Navy[7]
Vietnam People's Air Force[7]
Native name	Đại úy	Thượng úy	Trung úy	Thiếu úy
Rank group	Junior officers

South Vietnamese variant

Main article: South Vietnamese military ranks and insignia

Rank group	Junior officers			Officer cadet
Native name	Đại úy	Trung úy	Thiếu úy	Chuẩn úy
Chữ Hán	大尉	中尉	少尉	准尉
Literal translation	Great officer	Middle officer	Smaller officer	Quasi-officer
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Republic of Vietnam Navy (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign	Commissioned warrant officer
Republic of Vietnam Marine Division (1967-1975)
Translation	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Republic of Vietnam Air Force (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Native name	Đại úy	Trung úy	Thiếu úy	Chuẩn úy
Rank group	Junior officers			Officer cadet

See also

• China portal
• Taiwan portal
• North Korea portal
• South Korea portal

• Jiang (rank)
• Xiao (rank)
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
• Republic of China Armed Forces rank insignia

References

1. Ping, Xu (7 August 2017). "我军建军九十年军衔制度沿革" [The evolution of our military rank system over the ninety years of its establishment]. mod.gov.cn (in Chinese). Ministry of National Defense. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
2. "Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú" 陸海空軍服制條例附圖 [Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force] (PDF). Gazette of the Presidential Palace (6769): 65–67. 7 November 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
3. Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
4. "Army Insignia". army.mil.kr. Republic of Korea Army. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
5. "해군계급장/해군흉.휘장". navy.mil.kr (in Korean). Republic of Korea Navy. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
6. "Rank insignia". navy.mil.kr. Republic of Korea Navy. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
7. "Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam". mod.gov.vn (in Vietnamese). Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
8. Armed Forces Information and Education (1968). Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30). Department of Defense. pp. 26–28. Retrieved 2 July 2022.