Editing Red envelope (section)

==Usage==
Red envelopes containing cash, known as ''hongbao'' in [[Mandarin language|Mandarin]] and ''laisee'' in [[Cantonese]], are gifts presented at social and family gatherings such as [[Chinese marriage|weddings]] or holidays such as [[Chinese New Year]]; they are also gifted to guests as a gesture of hospitality. The [[Color in Chinese culture|red color]] of the [[envelope]] symbolizes [[good luck]] and wards off [[Demon|evil spirits]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 January 2011 |title=The real value of "lucky" money |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/chinesenewyear/2011/01/26/the_real_value_of_lucky_money.html |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=thestar.com |language=en |archive-date=20 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120044029/https://www.thestar.com/life/chinesenewyear/2011/01/26/the_real_value_of_lucky_money.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In Chinese, the red packet is also called "money warding off old age" ({{lang-zh|t=壓歲錢|hp=yāsuì qián|labels=no}}) for [[Chinese New Year]].

The act of requesting red packets is normally called ''{{Transliteration|zh|tao hongbao}}'' ({{lang-zh|t=討紅包|hp=tǎo hóngbāo}}) or ''{{Transliteration|zh|yao lishi}}'' ({{lang-zh|t=要利是|hp=yào lìshì|links=no}}), and, in the south of China, ''{{Transliteration|zh|dou lishi}}'' ({{lang-zh|t=逗利是|hp=dòu lìshì|cy=dauh laih sih|links=no}}). Red envelopes are usually given out to the younger generation who are normally in school or unmarried.<ref name=":1" />

The amount of money contained in the envelope usually ends with an even digit, following [[Numbers in Chinese culture|Chinese beliefs]]; odd-numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Hongbao giving {{!}} Infopedia |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_846_2005-01-04.html |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg |archive-date=13 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213082838/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_846_2005-01-04.html |url-status=live }}</ref> An exception exists for the number nine, as the pronunciation of ''nine'' ({{lang-zh|links=no|c={{lang|zh|九}}|p=jiǔ}}) is [[homophonous]] to the word ''long'' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=久|p=jiǔ}}), and is the largest single digit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/angpow.htm|title=The History of the Red Envelopes and How to Use them In the Year of the Yin Earth Pig 2019|website=FengshuiWeb.co.uk|date=19 June 2012|access-date=2 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111659/http://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/angpow.htm|archive-date=3 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In some regions of China and among the [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese diaspora]], odd numbers are favored for weddings because they are difficult to divide. One widespread tradition is that money should not be given in fours, or the number four should not appear in the amount, such as in 40, 400, and 444, as the pronunciation of the word ''four'' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t=四|p=sì}}) is similar to the word ''death'' ({{lang-zh|labels=no|t=死|p=sǐ}}). When giving money, new bills are favored over old bills. It is common to see long bank queues before Chinese New Year holding people waiting to acquire new bills.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Long queues for new banknotes ahead of Chinese New Year |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/long-queue-new-banknotes-chinese-new-year-3187436 |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=CNA |language=en |archive-date=20 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120044026/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/long-queue-new-banknotes-chinese-new-year-3187436 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At wedding banquets, the amount offered is usually intended to cover the cost of the attendees as well as signify goodwill to the newlyweds. The amounts given are often recorded in ceremonial ledgers for the new couple to keep.

In southern China, red envelopes are typically given by the married to the unmarried during Chinese New Year, mostly to children. In northern and southern China, red envelopes are typically given by the elders to those under 25 (30 in most of the three northeastern provinces), regardless of marital status.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} The money is usually in the form of notes to make it difficult to judge the amount before opening. In Malaysia it is common to add a coin to the notes, particularly in ''hongbao'' given to children, signifying even more luck.

It is traditional to avoid opening the envelopes in front of the relatives out of courtesy. However, to receive an envelope, the youth [[kowtow]] to thank their elders. In Hong Kong, red envelopes are traditionally opened on or after [[Renri|the 7th day of the Lunar New Year]].

During Chinese New Year supervisors or business owners give envelopes to employees.

In [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], children keep the red envelope in their bedroom after receiving it. They believe that putting the red envelope under their bed can protect the children. This action relates to the Chinese "{{lang|zh|壓}} ''yā''". Those ''{{Transliteration|zh|yasui qian}}'' would not be used until the end of Chinese New Year. They also receive fruit or cake during the celebration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&file=85293&page=59|title=Qin Jia Lok|last=Qin|first=Jia|date=n.d.|website=ctext.org|access-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306234803/https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&file=85293&page=59|archive-date=6 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

It is traditional to give an actor a red packet when he or she is to play a dead character, or pose for a picture for an obituary or a grave stone.

Red packets are also used to deliver payment for favorable service to [[lion dance]] performers, religious practitioners, teachers, and doctors.

Red packets as a form of bribery in China's film industry, were revealed in 2014's [[Sony Pictures Entertainment hack|Sony hack]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fox-Brewster|first1=Thomas|title=Inside Sony's Mysterious 'Red Pockets': Hackers Blow Open China Bribery Probe|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2014/12/13/sony-pictures-hackers-reveal-mysterious-red-packets-payments-in-china/|access-date=18 February 2015|agency=[[Forbes]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218154445/http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2014/12/13/sony-pictures-hackers-reveal-mysterious-red-packets-payments-in-china/|archive-date=18 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the Chinese communities of [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]], [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macao]], it is also customary for red packets to be given to service staff, such as security guards, cleaners, domestic helpers and doormen during the first few days of the [[Lunar New Year]].

===Virtual red envelopes===
Virtual red envelopes are available on [[mobile payment]] platforms. During the Chinese New Year holiday in 2014, the [[Messaging apps|messaging app]] [[WeChat]] introduced the ability to distribute virtual red envelopes of money to contacts and groups via its [[WeChat Pay]] platform. The launch included an on-air promotion during the [[CCTV New Year's Gala]] — China's most-watched television special — where viewers could win red envelopes as prizes.<ref name="fastco-redpacket" /><ref name=":0" />

WeChat Pay adoption increased following the launch, and over 32 billion virtual envelopes were sent over the Chinese New Year holiday in 2016 (a tenfold increase over 2015). The feature's popularity spawned imitations from other vendors; a "red envelope war" emerged between WeChat owner [[Tencent]] and its historic rival, [[Alibaba Group]], who added a similar function to its competing messaging service and held similar promotions.<ref name="fastco-redpacket">{{cite web|title=How Social Cash Made WeChat The App For Everything|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3065255/china-wechat-tencent-red-envelopes-and-social-money|website=Fast Company|date=2 January 2017 |access-date=4 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103135948/https://www.fastcompany.com/3065255/china-wechat-tencent-red-envelopes-and-social-money|archive-date=3 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Doug|title=Red envelope wars in China, Xiaomi eyes US|url=http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1715981/red-envelope-wars-china-xiaomi-eyes-us|access-date=18 February 2015|agency=[[South China Morning Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218160037/http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1715981/red-envelope-wars-china-xiaomi-eyes-us|archive-date=18 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Analysts estimated that over 100 billion digital red envelopes would be sent over the New Year holiday in 2017.<ref name="bbc-virtual">{{cite news|title=Why this Chinese New Year will be a digital money fest|work=BBC News |date=27 January 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38746298|access-date=29 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128112533/http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38746298|archive-date=28 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-01-13/tencent-alibaba-send-lunar-new-year-revelers-money-hunting-101043798.html|title=Tencent, Alibaba Send Lunar New Year Revelers Money-Hunting |date=13 January 2017|website=Caixin Global|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072212/https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-01-13/tencent-alibaba-send-lunar-new-year-revelers-money-hunting-101043798.html|archive-date=29 August 2018|access-date=29 August 2018}}</ref> One study reported that this popularization of virtual red packets comes from their contagious feature—users who receive red packets feel obligated to follow.<ref>[https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.09698 Gift Contagion in Online Groups: Evidence From WeChat Red Packets] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106140159/https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.09698 |date=6 November 2020 }}, Yuan et al., arXiv preprint, 2020.</ref> Since 2020, brands such as HeyTea, Tencent Video, Disney, and the Palace Museum have used custom WeChat red envelope covers to promote seasonal themes, product launches, or cultural IP. These covers often incorporate zodiac motifs, New Year greetings, or brand mascots, allowing users to share branded visuals during gift-giving, thus turning red envelopes into tools of viral marketing and cultural engagement.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Li |first1=Ouyang |last2=Zhu |first2=Yonglin |chapter=Study on the Cover of WeChat Red Envelope from the Perspective of brand Communication |series=Communications in Computer and Information Science |date=2024 |volume=1958 |editor-last=Stephanidis |editor-first=Constantine |editor2-last=Antona |editor2-first=Margherita |editor3-last=Ntoa |editor3-first=Stavroula |editor4-last=Salvendy |editor4-first=Gavriel |title=HCI International 2023 – Late Breaking Posters |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-49215-0_42 |language=en |location=Cham |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland |pages=357–364 |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-49215-0_42 |isbn=978-3-031-49215-0}}</ref>