Wei (rank) explained

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

Chinese variant

People's Liberation Army

The same rank names are used for all services, prefixed by Chinese: haijun or Chinese: kongjun .

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

Republic of China Armed Forces

Rank group	Junior officers
	Chinese: 上尉	Chinese: 中尉	Chinese: 少尉
	Chinese: Siōng-ùi	Chinese: Tiong-ùi	Chinese: Siáu-ùi
Literal translation	Upper officer	Middle officer	Lower officer
^[2]
	Chinese: 上尉 Chinese: Siōng-ùi	Chinese: 中尉 Chinese: Tiong-ùi	Chinese: 少尉 Chinese: Siáu-ùi
Rank group	Junior officers

Korean variant

See also: Comparative military ranks of Korea.

Wi
Hangul:	위
Rr:	Wi
Mr:	Wi

North Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
Hangul	Korean: 대위	Korean: 상위	Korean: 중위	Korean: 소위
Hanja	Korean: 大尉	Korean: 上尉	Korean: 中尉	Korean: 少尉
Romanization	Korean: Taewi	Korean: Sangwi	Korean: Chungwi	Korean: Sowi
Literal translation	Great rank	Upper rank	Middle rank	Lower rank
^[3]
		Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
		Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign
		Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
	Korean: 대위 Korean: Taewi	Korean: 상위 Korean: Sangwi	Korean: 중위 Korean: Chungwi	Korean: 소위 Korean: Sowi
Rank group	Junior officers

South Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
Hangul	Korean: 대위	Korean: 중위	Korean: 소위	Korean: 준위
Hanja	Korean: 大尉	Korean: 中尉	Korean: 少尉	Korean: 准尉
Romanization	Korean: Daewi	Korean: Jungwi	Korean: Sowi	Korean: Junwi
Literal translation	Great rank	Middle rank	Small rank	Given rank
^[4]
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
^[5]
Translation^[6]	Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign	Warrant officer
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Warrant officer
	Korean: 대위 Korean: Daewi	Korean: 중위 Korean: Jungwi	Korean: 소위 Korean: Sowi	Korean: 준위 Korean: Junwi
Rank group	Junior officers

Vietnamese variant

Rank group	Junior officers
Native name	Vietnamese: Đại úy	Vietnamese: Thượng úy	Vietnamese: Trung úy	Vietnamese: Thiếu úy
Literal translation	Grand officer	Upper officer	Middle officer	Smaller officer
^[7]
Native name	Vietnamese: Đại úy	Vietnamese: Thượng úy	Vietnamese: Trung úy	Vietnamese: Thiếu úy
Rank group	Junior officers

South Vietnamese variant

See main article: South Vietnamese military ranks and insignia.

Rank group	Junior officers			Officer cadet
Native name	Vietnamese: Đại úy	Vietnamese: Trung úy	Vietnamese: Thiếu úy	Vietnamese: Chuẩn úy
Literal translation	Great officer	Middle officer	Smaller officer	Quasi-officer
^[8]
Translation	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Translation	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign	Commissioned warrant officer
Translation	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Translation	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Aspirant
Native name	Vietnamese: Đại úy	Vietnamese: Trung úy	Vietnamese: Thiếu úy	Vietnamese: Chuẩn úy
Rank group	Junior officers			Officer cadet

See also

• 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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ping . Xu . 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 . Ministry of National Defense . 13 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191228135627/http://www.mod.gov.cn/education/2017-08/07/content_4788037_8.htm . 28 December 2019 . zh . 7 August 2017.
2. Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú . zh:陸海空軍服制條例附圖 . Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force . Gazette of the Presidential Palace . 7 November 1996 . 6769 . 65–67 . 15 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170306002354/https://www.president.gov.tw/Portals/0/Bulletins/paper/PDF/6769-2.PDF . 6 March 2017.
3. Book: Minnich . James M. . Worden . Robert L. . North Korea: a country study . Area Handbook . 2008 . Library of Congress . Washington, D.C. . 2008028547 . 266, 268 . 5th . 20 October 2021 . National Security.
4. Web site: Army Insignia . army.mil.kr . Republic of Korea Army . 2 June 2021.
5. Web site: 해군계급장/해군흉.휘장 . navy.mil.kr . Republic of Korea Navy . 2 June 2021 . ko.
6. Web site: Rank insignia . navy.mil.kr . Republic of Korea Navy . 13 September 2023.
7. Web site: Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam . mod.gov.vn . Ministry of Defence (Vietnam) . 30 May 2021 . 26 August 2009. vi. https://web.archive.org/web/20211202031836/http://www.mod.gov.vn/wps/portal/!ut/p/b1/vZTbcqJAEIafJQ9gMcOZSxiOg6AcBW4sEVSECEEU5OmXbLJbm9RuvMk6fdVVf9fX_c_0EAkREclpcy32m66oT5vqNU_YtSraLi9BEQDgMcCgRDOYC1MicpMgngRIE3WamwPAz7VJIOqBKzgUBUTqY_2C0_mpHiGGCikIJECsiOgY0wM6W70i-ruynFfb1fYQX7ZNdtn5qHA8c6zP5WWtN7JZeulq7Id0jm6zQejicQQsiZnxbA4Q57NTs-r7sKUaVLQlv5USsiPHDjJShYe9dkQvriL39cy8OujA12x08P2QCfHIXDr1KPJw3aZRs1ueQ_tk1k_vs4F_HBHcm-2t_gvBHW9XRPJRoomhCgzsARFxDIlo7l3wlf0_BV_MEE8C7o8mfZ6bujBCgZZpCESW8IkI0GvveGuMsRzdI-iBPzrQBh0GXGhZnB7YQYXtbAE9ObRgG_RWig3Lx5Y3BqQn6MssdANJlOTL3r_eA3KPBjL_G6gt9Ndb8zHjLRwS0NSDJ3TobwdiItlXdTp9EGESU5JcG72ieOtDsFh6TK4Vy7piTSpNvZtbVTG5P_HXbTEfbE3I8eGUsfDs3MJcRU1WvTi52SWXoj-uFptwE0eD1SaoWy27ss1UyzsBf5fBgyr07TEdcUpK82dnN-SoyGZNv0CIXxou1HKc-HzKIoVLcXNBNuhNeNhYAPdT3oc2ZexMrbAYdqf6oTq-bBF5fiJsvX7OP9v3aRGdvz2QwVb6wR-xAUswWEHr2r5yswTJ9mXlBgJoW21meWUNvbIxz538yz4v4oToDpClHwx0uP8N_LwC4NGWst8ObJ6DqzlnXX2MfkeuXZ_fYv_0AytYOeM!/dl4/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/. 2 December 2021. dead.
8. Book: Armed Forces Information and Education . Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30) . 1968 . Department of Defense . 26-28 . 2 July 2022.