Dictionary

ang pow en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɑŋ(ˈ)paʊ/ (US)
• /ˌɑŋ ˈpaʊ/ (Singapore)
• [ˌɑŋ˨ ˈp˭aʊ˦] (Singapore)

Etymology

From Hokkien 紅包／红包 (âng-pau, literally “red packet”). Doublet of hong bao.

Meanings

1. (Malaysia, Singapore) Synonym of red envelope (“hongbao”).
   • I wrote the amount on each ang pow. When Chinese New Year came, just after the Alzheimer's diagnosis, I thought all Ma could do was hand out the ang pows. 2016, Wong Chai Kee, Even When She Forgot My Name: Love, Life and My Mother’s Alzheimer’s, →ISBN:
   • After the scrumptious dinner, which I had never before eaten so much, came to an end, it was customary for the parents to hand out red packages or ang pow to the children and unmarried adults. 2014, Bryan Paul Lai, The Joy of Life: The Land Below The Wind, →ISBN, page 87:
   • A traditional and popular gift, ang pow is given at a house warming, during the tea ceremony to a bridal couple, at a farewell, on a birthday, in return for a favor or a donation, and on other occasions. A symbolic ang pow is given to a prospective client by a coffin maker upon the former exiting his premises, regardless of any transaction. 2010, Ooi Keat Gin, The A to Z of Malaysia, →ISBN, page 19:
   • However, if you come across kids of the really mercenary kind, then you wish you could snatch back the ang pow from their greedy hands. A kid is supposed to receive an ang pow, thank the giver, then put away his ang pow immediately. 1996, Su Kim Lee, Malaysian flavours: insights into things Malaysian, page 88:

Forms

Synonyms

red envelope