lì xì
[li˨˩ si˨˩]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(verb) to give money in (usually) red envelopes to children or elders during the Lunar New Year; to give gratuity
Where it’s used:
Used
Miền Trung · Central Vietnam
Used
Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam
• Wiktionary labels this sense “Central” • Wiktionary labels this sense “Southern”
Examples
Tết này con được nhiều tiền lì xì không?Did you get much lucky money this Tet?
Editorial example (contributed-collins-enriched)
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗ Local usage: Means the lucky money, not just the red envelope containing it. [contributed-collins-enriched]
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(noun) clipping of tiền lì xì; lucky money
Common questions
What does “lì xì” mean?
(verb) to give money in (usually) red envelopes to children or elders during the Lunar New Year; to give gratuity
Is “lì xì” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.