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Guide · 红包礼仪

Red Envelope Etiquette 红包礼仪

Called 利是 or 利市 (lai see) in Cantonese and ang pao in Hokkien. Customs vary between families and regions; when in doubt, ask the family elder, who will be pleased you asked. Chinese New Year 2027 is on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

What a red envelope means

Red is the color of luck and protection, and the money inside is a blessing for the year ahead more than a gift of cash. The New Year's Eve envelope for children has its own name, 压岁钱 (yāsuìqián), literally "money to hold down the year": an old explanation says it protected children from a spirit called 祟 (suì), which sounds like the word for year. Children traditionally sleep with it under their pillow.

Who gives to whom

Married couples sometimes give one envelope together and sometimes one each; in some Cantonese families each spouse gives separately. Working adults who are unmarried fall in between: some families expect them to start giving once they have a salary, others keep giving to them until their wedding. There is no wrong answer, only your family's answer.

How much to give

There is no official amount. What matters is the relationship, what your family and community usually do, and what you can comfortably afford. As a rough, commonly heard guide for the US (amounts vary widely by family, region and income):

Other currencies follow the same logic: even amounts, and lucky digits. In Singapore and Malaysia, $2 to $10 notes are common for acquaintances' children. Within a family, keep amounts the same for children of the same age, so cousins don't compare.

Lucky and unlucky numbers

• Even amounts are preferred: good things come in pairs (好事成双).
• 8 (八, bā) sounds like 发 (fā), to prosper. $8, $88 and $168 ("prosperity all the way", 一路发) are popular.
• 6 (六, liù) means things go smoothly (六六大顺).
• Avoid 4 (四, sì), which sounds like death (死). Skip $4, $14, $40, $44 and $400.
• Odd amounts are traditionally given at funerals (白金 · 帛金), so many people avoid them in a New Year envelope. A single round bill like $5 for a small child is fine in most families.

The money itself

Use new, crisp bills: new money for a new year. Ask your bank a week or two ahead; branches in neighborhoods with large Chinese communities often expect the request. Bills are usually put in flat and unfolded. Avoid coins and avoid writing a check unless that is normal in your family.

How to give and receive

• Use both hands, giving and receiving: it shows respect. A small nod goes with it.
• Say a greeting. 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè, Happy New Year), 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái, wishing you prosperity), 身体健康 (good health) for elders, 学业进步 (good progress at school) for students.
• Children greet first. Traditionally the child wishes the elder a happy new year, then receives the envelope.
• Don't open it in front of the giver. Say thank you and put it away; open it later.
• A polite refusal is normal. Adults often decline once or twice before accepting. If you're offered one, a "you shouldn't!" followed by gracious acceptance is perfectly in keeping.
• Use a red envelope, never white. White envelopes are for funerals. Red with gold lettering is classic; avoid designs with the number four.

Red envelopes at work

In Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and many Chinese-run businesses, managers and married colleagues give small 利是 to junior or unmarried staff, typically when work resumes after the holiday (开工). It is a goodwill gesture, not a bonus. In a non-Chinese workplace in the US, UK or Canada, red envelopes are uncommon, and giving cash to colleagues can feel awkward or run into company gift policies; a shared tray of oranges and sweets is a safer way to bring the holiday to the office.

Wedding red envelopes

At Chinese weddings, guests usually give a red envelope (喜红包 or 礼金) instead of a registry gift. A few differences from New Year:

• Write your name on the envelope so the couple knows who it is from. A short blessing like 百年好合 ("a hundred years of harmony") is a nice touch.
• Hand it in at the reception table when you sign in at the banquet, or give it to the couple directly.
• Amounts are larger. A common rule of thumb in the diaspora is to at least cover the cost of your seat at the banquet, more for close relatives. Even numbers again, often with 8s or 9s (九 sounds like "long-lasting", 久).
• The couple gives envelopes too: to the bridesmaids and groomsmen during the door games (开门利是), and parents give one to their new son- or daughter-in-law when they first call them "Mom" and "Dad" (改口红包).

Digital red envelopes

In China, digital red packets (电子红包) on WeChat and Alipay have become part of the holiday since the mid-2010s. Two kinds dominate: a normal red packet for one person, and the group "luck of the draw" packet (拼手气红包), where a sum is split randomly among everyone in a chat who taps in time. Grabbing them (抢红包) has become a New Year's Eve game.

For the diaspora: sending WeChat red packets generally needs a WeChat Pay account linked to a Chinese bank card, which many overseas users don't have. Plenty of families instead send money through the payment app they already use, with a New Year greeting. It is a sensible way to include relatives far away. For grandparents giving to grandchildren in the same room, though, the paper envelope is the part children remember.

Small details that people notice

• Have a stack of filled envelopes ready before visiting: it's awkward to fill one on the spot.
• Carry a few spare envelopes for children you weren't expecting to meet.
• Reusing a nice envelope at home is fine, but don't regift one with someone's name on it.
• If a child is too young to say thank you, a parent says it for them, and that is fine.

Common questions

How much money goes in a red envelope for Chinese New Year 2027?

It depends on your family and how close you are. In the US, amounts often heard are about $5 to $20 for children of friends and acquaintances, $20 to $100 for nieces, nephews and grandchildren, and more for your own parents. Choose even amounts, ideally with 6s and 8s, and avoid 4s.

Who gives red envelopes?

Traditionally, married couples and elders give to children and unmarried younger relatives. Many working adults also give to their parents and grandparents as a sign of respect, and bosses often give small ones to staff. Some families start giving once you earn a salary, married or not.

Is $20 okay in a red envelope?

Yes. A single crisp $20 bill is a common, perfectly respectable amount, especially for children of friends. Even numbers like 20 are considered lucky; just avoid 4, 40 and 14.

Should you open a red envelope in front of the giver?

No. Thank the giver, wish them well, and put the envelope away. Opening it in front of them can seem as if you care more about the money than the gesture.

When do you give red envelopes?

On New Year's Eve (to children, as 压岁钱) and during visits from New Year's Day through the Lantern Festival. In 2027 that is February 5 to February 20.

What do you say when you give or receive a red envelope?

The giver says 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè, Happy New Year) or 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái). The receiver returns the wish and adds thanks; children often say 身体健康 (good health) to elders.

Can I send a red envelope digitally?

Yes. WeChat and Alipay red packets are hugely popular in China, especially for relatives far away and for group chats. Abroad, many families simply send money through their usual payment app with a New Year message. For children you see in person, a paper envelope is still the warmer choice.

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