Which to use
“hi” is a phrase and “hoi” is an intj - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,300
- “hi” frequency rank
- #41,901
- “hoi” frequency rank
- 44201
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hi | hoi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | freundschaftliche, familiäre mündliche Begrüßung bei persönlichen Begegnungen und Telefongesprächen, bei denen der Angerufene weiß, wer ihn anruft (so dass auf eine Nennung des Namens verzichtet werden kann) | Ausruf des (freudigen) Erstaunens |
Where the eye mixes hi and hoi
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: hi vs hoi
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: hi is [haɪ̯] while hoi is [hɔɪ̯]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (phrase vs intj), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 44201, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hi is recorded at frequency rank #2,300, classified as aphrase, 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 44201, this pair ranks #1,393,735 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of hi vs hoi
Shared letters: hi. Private to "hi": -. Private to "hoi": o.
"hi" · 2 letters · shape CV · "hoi" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hi" and "hoi" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "hi" or "hoi" show up more?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "hi" 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 #1,393,735 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "hi" and "hoi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "höh vs hoi". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,393,735 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.