Which to use
“hei” and “hoi” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,652
- “hei” frequency rank
- #41,901
- “hoi” frequency rank
- 57553
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hei | hoi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ausruf der Freude, Begeisterung oder Verwunderung | Ausruf des (freudigen) Erstaunens |
Where the eye mixes hei and hoi
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between hei and hoi
A purely visual mix-up. hei ([haɪ̯]) and hoi ([hɔɪ̯]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - e in “hei” becomes o in “hoi”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 57553, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hei is recorded at frequency rank #15,652, classified as anintj, pronounced [haɪ̯]. hoi is at rank #41,901, tagged as anintj, pronounced [hɔɪ̯].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 57553, this pair ranks #897,015 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of hei vs hoi
Shared letters: hi. Private to "hei": e. Private to "hoi": o.
"hei" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "hoi" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hei" and "hoi" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hei" or "hoi"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "hei" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "hoi" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #897,015 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "hei" and "hoi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "höh vs hoi". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #897,015 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.