Red Packets

Red packets are actually small envelopes, usually in red, printed with greeting and best wishes wording. During Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year, red packets will be given to children, unmarried adults or elders with money inside them.

The amount of money you put inside a red packets has to be in a even number. Usually the smallest amount in a red packet will be $6 because the number 4 has the same sound as the word "death". So if you are going to put money in a red packet, avoid figures like 4, 14, 24 and so on.

The picture on your left is a red packet from the year of the chicken.

I am not sure about other Asia countries and their culture, but in Singapore, if you are married, you will have to give out ang pows during Chinese New Year. Some generous employers will give ang pows to their employee too.

If you are married, you will have to give out red packets to ...
1) Your (& your spouse) elders. Example: parents, grandparents, great grandparents.
2) Your children.
3) Your (& your spouse) unmarried siblings.
4) Your (& your spouse) unmarried relatives that is of the same or younger generation.
5) Your (& your spouse) unmarried friends if you meet them during the 15 days of the lunar new year.
6) Your close neighbors kids if you meet them during the 15 days of the lunar new year.
7) Anyone who is not married, same or younger generation and visit your house during the 15 days of the lunar new year.

If you are not married, you will receive lots of ang pow during the month of the lunar new year.

However, there are some unmarried friends that feel embarrassed to receive a red packet, especially from someone of a younger generation. So if I knew that person is going to be embarrassed, I will try not to give them any.

The picture on your right shows a red packet from the year of the horse.

You will see a lots of cute red packets for sale one month before Chinese New Year. Kids love them (Me too) and they are just too cute to be thrown away. The best wishes on these ang pows are usually "good grade in your studies" or "grow up quicky".

No, there is no year of the Doraemons. Muahahaha. These are kids red packets found every year.

English - Red packets, red envelops, red pocket
Mandarin - Hong Bao
Hokkien - Ang Pao
Hong Kong Cantonese - Cantonese - Lai See
Singapore Cantonese - Hong Bao (sound is different from mandarin)
Vietnamese - lì xì

Red packets are designed in a set too. These red packets were sponsored by our local banks and they get more and more creative each year.

Red packets with flowers design symbolizes spring is here.

Red packets comes in gold color too. As gold symbolizes wealth, everyone hope to become richer after getting a golden red packet.

In Cantonese, the word "mandarin orange" sound exactly like the word "gold". So mandarin oranges symbolize good fortune and they are often use in Chinese New Year greeting cards and red packets.

You can find the word everywhere during Chinese New Year. The word mean happiness. You can often find people hang the word upside down because it mean happiness is coming.

The Chinese word "fish" sound similar to the word "abundance". So fishes means that they will be plenty of everything every year.

These are red packets designed for the wedding occasions and they have the Chinese character, "Xi" printed on them. Usually these red packets will be given to the bride and groom by all the guests, regardless if they are married or not. The bride and groom will then give out red packets again to their elders, sibling and their wedding helpers.