What is the Mandarin pinyin name for a Chinese red envelope?

The Mandarin pinyin name for a Chinese red envelope is hongbao.

Written 红包 in simplified Chinese and 紅包 in traditional Chinese, hóngbāo literally means “red packet” or “red envelope.” It usually contains money and is given during Chinese New Year, weddings, birthdays, graduations, and other important occasions. The red color symbolizes good fortune and helps distinguish the gift from ordinary mail.

The custom developed from older practices involving lucky money, including coins given to children to protect them from evil spirits. In modern China, banknotes are common, and digital hongbao became especially popular through mobile-payment and messaging apps. Cantonese speakers commonly call a similar gift lai see, while ang pow is widely used in parts of Southeast Asia.

Hongbao should not be confused with nianhua, festive New Year prints; tangyuan, glutinous-rice balls; or jiaozi, dumplings. The amount is often chosen for auspicious symbolism: 8 is favored, while 4 is widely avoided.