HSK 3 Chinese Culture: Red Envelopes 红包 | Learn Chinese Through Culture

Learn Chinese with an HSK 3 culture: Red Envelopes (红包, Hóngbāo). One idea from Chinese culture or history, explained in simple Mandarin at your level, with every sentence to listen to and repeat. This lesson explains what red envelopes are, where the custom began, why red is lucky, and how people send them on phones today. How to use this lesson: 📖 See what you will learn on the first card 🎧 Listen to each sentence with pinyin and English 🎤 Repeat it out loud in the 跟读 · Your turn pause 💬 Check the recap at the end and answer the question in the comments 💬 你的国家呢？ How is it in your country? Tell us in the comments Level: HSK 3 (HSK 3.0, beginner) · About 10 min · Slow, clear native Mandarin narration 文化 Culture lesson: 红包 (Hóngbāo): Red Envelopes You will learn: • What a red envelope is and who gives it • How the custom began with lucky coins • Why red means good luck • How people send red envelopes on phones today Key takeaways: • Red envelopes hold money as a gift of good wishes. • The custom grew from lucky coins called yasuiqian. • Red stands for good luck and happiness in China. • Today many people send red envelopes by phone. 💬 Is there a custom in your culture where people give money or small gifts for good luck? Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:17 Key words 1:31 Ancient beginnings 2:37 From coins to paper 3:34 Why red 4:44 Red envelopes today 5:35 Manners and meaning 6:33 Read along at natural pace 生词 Key words • 红包 (hóngbāo): red envelope • 信封 (xìnfēng): envelope • 长辈 (zhǎngbèi): elder • 压岁钱 (yāsuìqián): lucky New Year money • 古钱 (gǔqián): old coin • 好运 (hǎoyùn): good luck • 代表 (dàibiǎo): to stand for Transcript 1. 你好，今天我们来学红包。 Nǐ hǎo, jīntiān wǒmen lái xué hóngbāo. Hello, today we will learn about red envelopes. 2. 红包是一个红色的小信封。 Hóngbāo shì yí gè hóngsè de xiǎo xìnfēng. A red envelope is a small red envelope. 3. 里面装着钱，是送给别人的礼物。 Lǐmiàn zhuāng zhe qián, shì sònggěi biéren de lǐwù. It holds money and is a gift for others. 4. 过年的时候，长辈常常给孩子红包。 Guònián de shíhou, zhǎngbèi chángcháng gěi háizi hóngbāo. At New Year, elders often give children red envelopes. 5. 你收到过红包吗？ Nǐ shōudào guò hóngbāo ma? Have you ever received a red envelope? 6. 红包的故事很久很久以前就开始了。 Hóngbāo de gùshi hěn jiǔ hěn jiǔ yǐqián jiù kāishǐ le. The story of red envelopes began a very long time ago. 7. 古时候，人们相信过年会有坏东西来。 Gǔ shíhou, rénmen xiāngxìn guònián huì yǒu huài dōngxi lái. In ancient times, people believed bad things came at New Year. 8. 大人把古钱放在孩子的床边。 Dàren bǎ gǔ qián fàng zài háizi de chuáng biān. Adults put old coins beside the children's beds. 9. 他们希望这样可以保护孩子。 Tāmen xīwàng zhèyàng kěyǐ bǎohù háizi. They hoped this could protect the children. 10. 这些钱叫做压岁钱。 Zhèxiē qián jiào zuò yā suì qián. This money is called yasuiqian, lucky New Year money. 11. 后来，人们用红线把古钱连起来。 Hòulái, rénmen yòng hóng xiàn bǎ gǔ qián lián qǐlai. Later, people linked the old coins together with red thread. 12. 再后来，人们开始用红纸包钱。 Zài hòulái, rénmen kāishǐ yòng hóng zhǐ bāo qián. Later still, people began wrapping money in red paper. 13. 这就是今天红包的由来。 Zhè jiùshì jīntiān hóngbāo de yóulái. This is the origin of today's red envelope. 14. 虽然样子变了，但是好意没有变。 Suīrán yàngzi biàn le, dànshì hǎoyì méiyǒu biàn. Although the look changed, the good wishes did not. 15. 为什么红包是红色的呢？ Wèishénme hóngbāo shì hóngsè de ne? Why are red envelopes red? 16. 在中国，红色代表好运和快乐。 Zài zhōngguó, hóngsè dàibiǎo hǎoyùn hé kuàilè. In China, red stands for good luck and happiness. 17. 过年时，家家都挂红色的灯。 Guònián shí, jiā jiā dōu guà hóngsè de dēng. At New Year, every home hangs red lights. 18. 红色的红包会让人觉得很温暖。 Hóngsè de hóngbāo huì ràng rén juéde hěn wēnnuǎn. A red envelope makes people feel warm. 19. 所以人们结婚和过生日也送红包。 Suǒyǐ rénmen jiéhūn hé guò shēngrì yě sòng hóngbāo. So people also give red envelopes at weddings and birthdays. More HSK 3 videos are in the HSK 3 playlist. Subscribe for new Chinese stories, quizzes and conversations every week. #LearnChinese #HSK3 #ChineseCulture #ChineseListening #Mandarin #Shadowing #ChineseStories #Pinyin #学中文