lai see en · NOUN
Etymology
From Cantonese 利市 (lai6 si6).
Meanings
-
(Hong-Kong, countable, uncountable) Lucky money, usually coming in red envelopes for Chinese New Year.
Even though we're still in the middle of Chinese New Year holiday week, it doesn't feel like Chinese New Year this year. People aren't handing out lai sees on the street. Lai sees are red packets filled with money, and every year around this time, I always get a bunch from strangers on the street.
2022, Kelly Yang, New From Here, page 5:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lai sees | Number=Plur | lexicographic |