Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wu wei

/ˈwuː ˌweɪ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.30 in modern English

Syllables: wu wei
IPA: /ˈwuː ˌweɪ/

11

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A state of effortless inaction, in Taoism or Chinese statecraft.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"These alternatives seem tepid, or even reactionary – take Franco ‘Bifo’ Berardi’s invocation of a politics of exhaustion that would ‘become the beginning of a slow movement toward a “wu wei” civilization, based on withdrawal, and frugal expectations for life and consumption’."

Etymology

Borrowed from Chinese 無為 /无为 (wúwéi).

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

wu-wei (alternative)

Questions

How do you pronounce wu wei?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈwuː ˌweɪ/.
What does wu wei mean?: A state of effortless inaction, in Taoism or Chinese statecraft.
Where does wu wei come from?: Borrowed from Chinese 無為 /无为 (wúwéi).

How to pronounce wu wei

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wu wei”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈwuː ˌweɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “wu wei” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.