HSK · Level 24
135 words
Chinese word
汤圆
Pronunciation
Pinyintāng yuán
Meaning
- nounglutinous rice ball
Example
超市里卖很多汤圆。chāo shì lǐ mài hěn duō tāng yuán
The supermarket sells many glutinous rice balls.
More examples
元宵节那天一家人一起吃汤圆，很有节日气氛。yuán xiāo jié nà tiān yì jiā rén yì qǐ chī tāng yuán hěn yǒu jié rì qì fēn
On the Lantern Festival, the whole family eats glutinous rice balls together, creating a festive atmosphere.
Core concept
A soft rice-flour wrapper enclosing a center, shaped into a ball and boiled for eating.
Common phrases
吃汤圆chī tāng yuán
eat glutinous rice balls
包汤圆bāo tāng yuán
wrap glutinous rice balls
买汤圆mǎi tāng yuán
buy glutinous rice balls
Similar words
元宵yuán xiāo: A filled rice ball prepared by coating its center with glutinous rice flour for the Lantern Festival.
糯米nuò mǐ: Sticky rice used as an ingredient in rice cakes, dumplings, and other foods.
粽子zòng zi: Glutinous rice and fillings wrapped in leaves and cooked for the Dragon Boat Festival.
Definition in Chinese
一种用糯米粉包着甜或咸馅，放在热汤或水中煮熟的圆形小吃。yì zhǒng yòng nuò mí fěn bāo zhe tián huò xián xiàn fàng zài rè tāng huò shuǐ zhōng zhǔ shú de yuán xíng xiǎo chī
Word origin
The compound combines 汤 (tāng, "soup") with 圆 (yuán, "round") to name a round item cooked in liquid, while leaving the filling open to different flavors.
Usage tips
- The noun does not by itself promise a sweet flavor, so surrounding menu or conversation details identify the filling instead of an English dessert assumption.
Other meanings
- filled glutinous rice ballnoun
Related words
- 汤团tāng tuánglutinous rice dumplingnoun
- 汤圆儿tāng yuánrglutinous rice ballnoun