A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Huawei
Stop saying 'hoo-ah-way'; here is how to correctly pronounce the name of the Chinese telecommunications giant.
huawei
WAH-way
/ˈhwɑːˌweɪ/ · hua · wei
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It is a major global brand, so getting the pronunciation right is helpful for clear communication in professional settings.
Where the word comes from
The name is derived from the Chinese characters hua (meaning magnificent or China) and wei (meaning action or achievement).
Common ways people get it wrong
- hoo-ah-way This adds an extra syllable by treating the 'hu' as a separate word; drop the 'hoo' sound entirely.
- wah-wee This ignores the second syllable's diphthong; ensure you finish with a clear 'way' sound.
Frequently asked
Is the H silent in Huawei?
In standard Mandarin, the H is a soft, breathy sound, but in English, it is often dropped entirely by speakers. Pronouncing it as 'WAH-way' is widely accepted and understood by native speakers.
Why do people say 'hoo-ah-way'?
People often try to sound out the letters individually because they are unfamiliar with Mandarin phonetics. It is a common mistake that stems from trying to force English reading rules onto a Chinese word.
Is it Huawei or Huawai?
The correct spelling is Huawei. The 'wei' ending is pronounced like the English word 'way'.
