Red Envelope emoji meaning
People use it around Lunar New Year to talk about giving or receiving money gifts, or digitally sending cash in chat apps. Example: 'Happy new year! 🧧' or 'Don't forget to send grandma her 🧧 this year.'
The official Unicode name for 🧧 is red envelope. It belongs to the activities group and the events & holidays subgroup. Keyboards and search boxes find it with keywords such as envelope, gift, good, hóngbāo, lai, luck, money, red.
It was added in Emoji 11, so it displays on every current phone, computer and browser.
How to get 🧧 on iPhone and iPad
- Tap the emoji key (the smiley face) or the globe key on the keyboard.
- Tap Search Emoji at the bottom and type red envelope.
- Tap 🧧 to insert it.
If the emoji keyboard is missing, turn it on in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Emoji.
How to get 🧧 on Android
On Gboard, tap the emoji button next to the space bar, then use the search bar at the top and type "red envelope". On Samsung Keyboard, tap the emoji icon and use the search field the same way. Or copy 🧧 from this page and paste it.
How to type 🧧 on Windows
- Click where you want the emoji.
- Press Win+. (the Windows key and the period key) to open the emoji panel.
- Type "red envelope" and click 🧧.
The panel remembers recently used emoji, so it will be one click away next time.
How to type 🧧 on a Mac
Press Control+⌘+Space to open the emoji picker, type "red envelope" and double-click 🧧. On a MacBook with a Touch Bar, or on recent macOS versions, the fn or globe key also opens the picker.
🧧 in Word and Google Docs
Both accept emoji as normal text. On Windows use Win+., on Mac use Control+⌘+Space, or paste 🧧 from this page. In Google Docs you can also go to Insert → Emoji. In Word, Insert → Symbol lists emoji under the Segoe UI Emoji font.
🧧 in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML decimal | 🧧 |
| HTML hex | 🧧 |
CSS content | "\1F9E7" |
| JavaScript | "\u{1F9E7}" |
| Python | "\U0001F9E7" |
| URL encoded | %F0%9F%A7%A7 |
| Shortcode (GitHub, Slack, Discord) | :red_envelope: |
Because 🧧 is standard Unicode, you can paste it straight into any UTF-8 file. The escapes are for when the file encoding is uncertain or the emoji must be entered in code.
Frequently asked questions
What does the red envelope emoji mean? +
A red envelope (hóngbāo) represents money gifts given for luck and good wishes during holidays, especially Lunar New Year. Its official Unicode name is "red envelope".
What does the red envelope emoji stand for? +
It stands for the tradition of giving money in a red envelope for luck, often during Lunar New Year or other celebrations.
When do people send the red envelope emoji? +
Mostly around Lunar New Year, but also for weddings, birthdays, or other events where giving money as a gift is customary.
How do I get the red envelope emoji on my keyboard? +
On iPhone, open the emoji keyboard and search "red envelope". On Android, tap the emoji key on Gboard and search the same. On Windows press Win + . (period), and on Mac press Control + Command + Space, then type the name. Or simply copy 🧧 from this page.
What is the Unicode for 🧧? +
The red envelope emoji is U+1F9E7. In HTML use 🧧.
Why does 🧧 look different on other phones? +
Every platform draws its own artwork for the same emoji character. Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft each have their own design, so 🧧 looks slightly different but means the same thing everywhere.