红 (hóng) — red

红 (hóng)

红 means red. In Chinese culture red symbolizes good luck, happiness, and celebration. It appears frequently in words related to festivals, envelopes, and traffic lights.

Meanings

1. [adjective] Red (the color).
2. [adjective] Popular, successful (informal, as in 走红 "to become famous").

Example Sentences

她穿了一件红裙子。 Tā chuān le yī jiàn hóng qúnzi. She wore a red dress.

红灯停，绿灯行。 Hóng dēng tíng, lǜ dēng xíng. Stop on red, go on green.

过年的时候，我收到了红包。 Guò nián de shíhou, wǒ shōu dào le hóngbāo. During the New Year, I received a red envelope.

苹果是红色的。 Píngguǒ shì hóngsè de. Apples are red.

Collocations

Memory Hook

红 = 纟 (silk thread) + 工 (work): in ancient China, red-dyed silk was the most prized and festive fabric.