hóng · red
festival
💡 How to pronounce

h → like the 'h' in 'hot'. óng → like 'long' but with a rising tone.

📖 The Story

红 is the color of life, celebration, and good fortune. In ancient China, red was associated with the sun, fire, and blood — all sources of life. Today, it's the color of happiness and the most important color in Chinese festivals.

🎬 In Culture Today

Red is everywhere during Chinese festivals: red envelopes (红包) filled with money, red couplets on doors, red lanterns on the streets. It's the color of luck, and it's said to scare away evil spirits.

📚 Words

hóng sèred (color)
hóng bāored envelope (gift money)
hóng huǒprosperous
hóng dēngred light

📝 Example Sentences

红色代表好运。

Hóngsè dàibiǎo hǎoyùn.

Red represents good luck.

过年的时候我们发红包。

Guònián de shíhou wǒmen fā hóngbāo.

We give red envelopes during the New Year.