Wei (rank)

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

Wei (Chinese: 尉; Korean: 위; Hanja: 尉) is the rank held by company-grade officers in some East Asian militaries. The ranks are used in both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan, and both North and South Korea.

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
	大尉 Da wei	上尉 Shang wei	中尉 Zhong wei	少尉 Shao wei
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
	上尉 Siōng-ùi	中尉 Tiong-ùi	少尉 Siáu-ùi
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

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

North Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
	대위 Taewi	상위 Sangwi	중위 Chungwi	소위 Sowi
Korean People's Army Ground Force^[3]
	Captain	Senior lieutenant	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Korean People's Army Naval Force^[3]
		Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign
Korean People's Army Air Force^[3]
	Captain	Senior lieutenant	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
	대위 Taewi	상위 Sangwi	중위 Chungwi	소위 Sowi
Rank group	Junior officers

South Korea

Rank group	Junior officers
	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi	소위 Sowi	준위 Junwi
Republic of Korea Army^[4]
Republic of Korea Navy^[5]
Republic of Korea Air Force
Republic of Korea Marine Corps
	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi	소위 Sowi	준위 Junwi
Rank group	Junior officers

See also

•  China portal
•  Taiwan 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). [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. [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.