Chinese surname · rank 63
韦
韦 is read as wéi.
Pinyin
wéi
Script forms
Simplified 韦 · Traditional 韋
Basic meaning
tanned leather
Five element
Earth
Origin
Time: Ancient Wei/韦 or Shiwei state tradition in the Shang-Zhou memory layer; Shang-Zhou tradition, c. 1600-256 BCE
Place: Wei/韦 state traditions, often associated with today's Henan region
Origin note
A major Wei surname tradition traces the name to an ancient Wei/韦 state, sometimes discussed through the Shiwei tradition. The page presents this as an ancient state-name surname layer and keeps the leather meaning separate.
Historical figures
韦应物
737-792 CE · Tang poet
A major Tang poet known for quiet, natural imagery.
韦庄
836-910 CE · late Tang poet
A late Tang and Former Shu poet associated with ci and shi poetry.