How do you use "Red flag" in a sentence?

He said all his exes are crazy—red flag. No work-life balance? Red flag. 🚩🚩🚩

Red flag

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: A warning sign in a person or situation; something concerning.

一个人或情况中的警告信号；令人担忧的事情。

Una señal de advertencia en una persona o situación; algo preocupante.

人や状況における警告サイン。心配な兆候。

사람이나 상황에서의 경고 신호. 우려되는 징후.

'Red flag' warns of danger or concern—traits that predict problems. 'That's a red flag' = be careful. The 🚩 emoji often accompanies descriptions of concerning behaviour.

「Red flag」警告危险或担忧——预示问题的特征。「That's a red flag」＝要小心。🚩表情符号经常伴随着对令人担忧行为的描述。

«Red flag» advierte de peligro o preocupación: rasgos que predicen problemas. «That's a red flag» = ten cuidado. El emoji 🚩 suele acompañar descripciones de comportamientos preocupantes.

「Red flag」は危険や懸念を警告する——問題を予測する特徴。「That's a red flag」＝気をつけて。🚩の絵文字が気になる行動の説明に添えられることが多い。

'레드 플래그'는 위험이나 우려를 경고한다—문제를 예고하는 특성. 'That's a red flag' = 조심해. 🚩 이모지가 우려되는 행동 묘사에 자주 동반된다.

Examples

He said all his exes are crazy—red flag.
他说前任都是疯子——红旗
Dijo que todas sus ex están locas: bandera roja
元カノ全員おかしいって言ってた——レッドフラッグ
전 여자친구가 다 미쳤다고 했어——레드 플래그.
No work-life balance? Red flag.
没有工作生活平衡？红旗
¿Sin equilibrio entre trabajo y vida? Bandera roja
ワークライフバランスなし？レッドフラッグ
워라밸이 없다고? 레드 플래그.
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Pronunciation

/red flæɡ/

Usage Guide

Context: dating, warning signs, relationships

Tone: warning, cautious

✓ Do Say

Red flag
红旗/危险信号
bandera roja
レッドフラッグ
레드 플래그
That's a red flag
那是红旗
eso es una bandera roja
それはレッドフラッグだよ
그건 레드 플래그야
Major red flag
超大红旗
gran bandera roja
超レッドフラッグ
완전 레드 플래그

Common Mistakes

Can be overused for minor issues

Origin & History

From warning signals (red flags on beaches, racing). Long used metaphorically for warning signs. Exploded in dating discourse online, with the 🚩 emoji becoming shorthand.

Etymology: Warning signal: red flags indicate danger

First recorded: Standard usage, viral dating context 2020s

Cultural Context

Era: Standard usage, viral 2020s

Generation: All ages, Gen Z emphasis

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Dating apps; 🚩 emoji

Regional notes: English-language universal.

Variations

Red flagRed flags🚩