Lucky Money Meaning: Tradition and Usage Explained

Meaning 1：Lucky money (Lucky money)

Lucky money 🔊

/ˈlʌki ˈmʌni/

Money given as a gift on special occasions to bring good luck, often in a red envelope.

Elders handing red envelopes to children during Spring Festival

Lucky money 🔊

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/ˈlʌki ˈmʌni/

Money given as a gift during festive occasions, believed to bring good luck and fortune to the recipient.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Compound of 'lucky' (from Old English 'geluck', meaning fortune) and 'money' (from Latin 'moneta').

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a shiny red envelope stuffed with cash — lucky money brings blessings and joy.

📖 Example

My grandma gave each of us lucky money in a bright red envelope on the morning of Chinese New Year. 🔊 My grandma gave each of us lucky money in a bright red envelope on the morning of Chinese New Year.

🔗 Collocations

give lucky money – to offer monetary gifts for good luck

receive lucky money – to be given money as a blessing

lucky money envelope – the red packet containing the gift

🔄 Synonyms

hongbao (n.) – The red envelope containing lucky money in Chinese culture.

red envelope (n.) – A traditional gift of money in a red packet.

📖 Cultural Story

The tradition of giving lucky money in red envelopes (hongbao) dates back to ancient China, where red symbolized protection against evil spirits, commonly practiced during Lunar New Year.