Example sentences
zhè这ge个píng苹guǒ果hěn很hóng红。
This apple is very red.
tā她xǐ喜huan欢hóng红sè色de的yī衣fu服。
She likes red clothes.
The story behind the character
红
红 is 糸, silk thread, plus 工 for the sound. Xu Shen wrote 红, 帛赤白色也: silk dyed a pale red, closer to pink. For centuries 红 meant that light shade, while deep red had other names, 赤 and 朱. Only later did 红 take over the whole red end of the spectrum. Your 红包 began as pink silk.