汤圆 (tāngyuán) · glutinous rice balls, sweet dumplings, tangyuan

Measure Word

一个汤圆 gè

Meanings

1 glutinous rice balls
2 sweet dumplings
3 tangyuan

Made with

糯米粉 nuòmǐfěn 黑芝麻 hēizhīma 花生 huāshēng 猪油 zhūyóu 白糖 báitáng

About the dish

浙菜 Zhejiang · 甜品 Dessert

Balls of soft, chewy glutinous rice dough filled with sweet black sesame, peanut or red bean paste, served hot in a bowl of the water they were boiled in. The sesame filling is often made with lard.

Usually contains peanuts and sesame

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

元宵节我们一家人一起吃汤圆。

Yuánxiāojié wǒmen yìjiārén yìqǐ chī tāngyuán.

On Lantern Festival, our whole family eats tangyuan together.

HSK 7-9

这家店的芝麻汤圆特别好吃。

Zhè jiā diàn de zhīma tāngyuán tèbié hǎochī.

This shop's sesame tangyuan are especially delicious.

Tips

culture

汤圆 are traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival (元宵节). Their round shape symbolizes family reunion and togetherness (团圆). Common fillings include black sesame, peanut, and red bean.

mistakes

汤圆 and 元宵 are often confused. 汤圆 (southern style) are made by wrapping filling in dough. 元宵 (northern style) are made by rolling filling in dry flour. Different process, similar result.