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红包 (hóng bāo) — red envelope (cash gift given during festivals or special occasions); bonus (monetary gift from a company or organization); (sometimes pejorative) kickback, bribe

Definition

红包 is a red envelope of cash given at weddings, holidays (especially 春节), or as a company bonus. The pejorative 'bribe' sense is rare; for bribery use 贿赂. Unlike 奖金 (a formal bonus or award), 红包 is given socially by individuals.

noun
red envelope (cash gift given during festivals or special occasions)bonus (monetary gift from a company or organization)(sometimes pejorative) kickbackbribe
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 红包。
    Mā ma gěi le wǒ yí gè hóng bāo.
    Mom gave me a red envelope.
  • 。
    Gōng sī jīn nián gěi měi gè yuán gōng fā le yí gè dà hóng bāo.
    The company gave each employee a big bonus this year.
  • ，红包。
    Jié hūn de shí hou, kè rén huì gěi xīn rén hóng bāo.
    At weddings, guests give red envelopes to the newlyweds.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

红hóngred
包bāopackage

红 describes the 包, giving a red wrapped package used for money gifts.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 包 pictures a fetus in a womb, or a baby wrapped in cloth.

Open 包 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 6Chinese Culture & CustomsMoney & Currency

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