“Xaomi”, “Xiaomi” or “Ziaomi” – how to correctly say the name of the Xiaomi brand?

Have you ever ordered a Xiaomi smartphone in a store and heard a salesman call it "Ziaomi"? or are you not sure how to pronounce the Chinese giant's name properly to avoid looking ridiculous? This article will take a look at all the pronunciation options once and for all, explain why the brand itself allows multiple interpretations, and reveal the official position of the company for 2026.

The debate over how to say “Xiaomi” has been going on since 2014, when the brand entered the Russian market, with some pushing for “Xiaomi” (similar to pinyin), others championing “Xaomi” (close to English pronunciation), and still others persistently calling it “Ziaomi” — and all making a strong case. We analyzed Xiaomi’s official guidelines, interviewed native Chinese speakers, and even found a video of top managers of the company saying the name themselves. The results will surprise you!

Xiaomi’s official transcription: What the brand says

In 2023, Xiaomi Russia finally published an explanation on its website, and it was unexpected: the company does not insist on the only correct option, but allows three main pronunciations in the Russian-speaking space:

• 🔊 «Xiaomi: * Recommended version as close as possible to the original Chinese pronunciation (, Xiǎomǐ). It is used in official videos with Russian dubbing.
• 🔊 «Xaomi"** - an acceptable variant, fixed due to the English transliteration (Xiaomi reads as "Shaomi", but in Russian it stuck with the letter "K»).
• 🔊 «Ziaomi is a colloquial variant that the company neither condemns nor promotes.

Interesting fact: in Chinese, the brand name sounds like "Xiao-mi" with a pause between syllables and tones (third tone on "xiao", second on "mi"). In Russian, we used to pronounce it in one form - and this is normal. The main rule from Xiaomi is not "Haomi" and not "Exaomi" - these options are considered errors.

But why doesn't the brand impose a single option? It's simple: Xiaomi is committed to globalization and understands that the name adapts differently in different languages, such as in Spain they say "Shaomi", in Germany they say "Xomi", and in India they say "Zaomi", and the Russian-speaking market is no exception.

How to pronounce Xiaomi in Chinese: analysis of syllables

To understand where “Xiaomi” comes from, let’s take a look at the original name (Xiǎomǐ):

In Chinese, tones change the meaning of words, but for Russian-speaking users, they are not fundamental.

• 🎤 Xiǎo → «Xiao (not "sio" or "xao"!) The letter X in pinyin reads as the Russian "s" in front of vowels.
• 🎤 Mǐ → «mi (as in peace, but shorter) neither mai nor mae»!

It's a combination of "shaomi," but with a pause between the syllables, it's like two separate words, and that's the pronunciation used in Xiaomi's official Russian-language YouTube videos, for example, in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra presentation, the announcer clearly says "Sia-o-mi."

Why Many People Say “Ziaomi”: A History of Mistake

The Ziaomi variant was created by the incorrect transliteration from English, because in some European languages the letter X reads "Z" before vowels (e.g., "xenon" in Russian, but "zenon" in English).

1. Xiaomi → English pronunciation of "Shaomi"/"Zaomi».
2. Russian-speaking users heard "Zaomi" and adapted it to "Ziaomi".
3. The error has been entrenched in spoken language, especially among those unfamiliar with pinyin.

Linguists point out that Ziaomi is a hypercorrection, where people try to “fix” a foreign word by adjusting it to the usual sounds, and the same thing happened with the ZTE brand, which many people call Ze-te, when correctly Zed-ti-i.

⚠️ Note: If you are communicating with Xiaomi support in Russian, you should use Xiaomi. The company’s employees are trained to respond to this option, and Ziaomi may pause to specify which brand it is talking about.

How to pronounce Xiaomi in different countries: a comparative table

Interestingly, each language has its own brand name, and we collected data from Xiaomi’s official channels in different countries.

Interestingly, in Spain and Latin America, the name is pronounced almost like in China, "Siaomi," but with a local accent, while in Japan, they use the transcription "Shaomi," which is closer to the English version.

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If you are in doubt about how to pronounce the model name (for example, Xiaomi Civi 4), watch the official videos on the Xiaomi Russia channel - announcers always use approved options.

How to correctly say the names of sub-brands: Redmi, POCO, Mijia

Xiaomi has been sorted out, but what about its sub-brands?

• 📱 Redmi is pronounced "Redmy"** (not "Redmi" or "Redmy"!) The letter E reads "e" and the I at the end reads "and.
• 📱 POCO — Not Poco, not Pioco, in Spanish-speaking countries you can say Poco, but in Russian it's a mistake.
• 🏠 Mijia - "Mizzia" (from Chinese, Mǐjiā). Many people mistakenly say “Miya” but this is not true – “Jia” means “house” in Chinese.
• ⚡ HyperOS is "Hyper OS" -- not "Hyperos" or "Hyper-O-S." Pronounced as two separate words.

The hardest thing is Mijia, even some bloggers pronounce it "Miya." But when you remember that Mi is "rice" and Jia is "home," you know that "Jia" must sound. You can use Google's voice assistant to check it, say "Mijia," and it says "Mijia."

What the neural network and voice assistants say: a pronunciation test

We tested how popular voice assistants and translation services pronounce "Xiaomi."

• 🤖 Google Assistant: “Xiaomi” is correct.
• 🤖 Alice (Yandex): “Ziaomi” – a mistake, but corrected after the update of 2023.
• 🌐 Google Translate (Chinese) → Russian: "Xiaomi" - right.
• 🎤 Siri (Apple): Xaomi is a valid option.
• 📱 Voice input on Xiaomi-smartphones: recognizes and “Xiaomi”, and “Xaomi».

Interestingly, ChatGPT and Gemini, in response to the question “How to pronounce Xiaomi?” give different answers:

ChatGPT writes: “In Russian, the use of ‘Xiaomi’ is more common, but ‘Xaomi’ is also acceptable.”

Gemini insists, “Officially, it’s ‘Xiaomi’, but colloquially, it’s ‘Ziaomi’.”

The conclusion is that even AI has not come to a consensus, which confirms that Xiaomi does not impose strict rules, as long as the interlocutor understands you.

How to avoid embarrassment: 5 tips for communication

If you are afraid of missteps when talking about Xiaomi’s technique, use these recommendations:

1. In official situations (shop, support, presentation) use "Xiaomi"**. This is a universal option that will not cause questions.
2. With friends or on the Internet, you can say “Xaomi” – this is not a mistake, but just an alternative.
3. If the person says "Ziaomi" persistently, don't correct him, it may look pedantic. You'd better just repeat his version to avoid confusion.
4. For model names, use the English pronunciation: Xiaomi 14 - "Xiaomi Fotiin" (not "Fourteenth"), Redmi Note 13 Pro + - "Radmy Not Turtin Pro Plus".
5. If you're in doubt about how to pronounce a complicated name (e.g., Xiaomi Mix Fold 3), say, "Smartphone from Xiaomi, model Mix Fold Three." That sounds natural and understandable.

⚠️ Note: In the technical documentation and instructions, Xiaomi always uses original names in English (for example, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro). When speaking, they are adapted: "Smart Band Ait Pro." Do not say "Siaomi Smart Tape Eighth Professional" - this sounds unnatural.

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The rule of thumb is that if you get it, you pronounce the name correctly. Xiaomi doesn't punish for "wrong" pronunciation - the brand values customer loyalty more than phonological accuracy.

FAQ: Answers to frequent questions about Xiaomi pronunciation