粽子

• Pinyin: zòng zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 粽 = 米 + 宗 (glutinous rice bundle); 子 (noun suffix)

Meaning

Zongzi; sticky rice dumpling. A traditional Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed with various fillings, wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, and steamed or boiled.

Central to the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节). Regional varieties vary greatly: northern styles are typically sweet with red bean paste; southern styles are savoury with pork, salted egg yolk, or mushroom. Gifting 粽子 during the festival carries cultural warmth.

Examples

1. 每逢端午节前后，街头巷尾都弥漫着粽子的清香。 Around the Dragon Boat Festival, the streets are filled with the fragrant aroma of zongzi.
2. 外婆从昨晚就开始准备食材，今早亲手裹了几十个粽子。 Grandma started preparing ingredients last night and wrapped dozens of zongzi by hand this morning.
3. 南方咸肉粽子与北方甜豆沙粽子各有拥趸，争论从未停歇。 Southern savory pork zongzi and northern sweet red-bean zongzi each have their die-hard fans, and the debate never ends.

Usage Guide

Context: food, festivals, culture, family

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 今年端午节你们家打算包什么馅儿的粽子？(What filling are you planning to make for your zongzi this Dragon Boat Festival?)
• 这家老字号的鲜肉粽子每年都要排队两个小时才能买到。(You have to queue two hours every year to buy the fresh-pork zongzi from this century-old shop.)

Don't Say

• 粽子是饺子 — 粽子 and 饺子 are distinct foods; do not conflate them even though both are wrapped and boiled

Origin & History

粽 (wrapped glutinous rice) + 子 (noun suffix)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal