留学生在中国 10 Dumpling 饺子

David:I understand that in Chinese culture people normally eat rice or, as an alternative, dumplings at the end of a meal.

我感觉中国人吃饭时喜欢最后吃米饭或饺子。

You:We usually eat rice, but we don’t usually eat dumplings every day.

我们经常吃米饭,但饺子可不是每天都吃。

David:Sometimes I have had meals with Chinese friends and at the end of the meal, they choose whether to eat rice or dumplings. Why?

我跟中国朋友一起去吃饭时,他们经常会在快吃完时才点米饭或饺子。这是为什么?

You:Well, maybe this is true in restaurants when people eat starch to fill up at the end of a meal. But eating at home is different. At home, dumplingsaren’t intended for every day consumption. If you eat rice at every meal, although it’s convenient, it can get boring. It’s a Chinese custom, especially in the north, to eat dumplings the night before Spring Festival.

哦。在餐馆里,人们可能喜欢在正餐后吃点面食来填肚子;而在家里人们并不是每天都吃饺子。如果每顿都吃米饭,虽然很方便,但也会觉得烦的。中国人有除夕夜吃饺子的习俗,而且这一习俗在北方更为盛行。

David:Why? What’s the history?

为什么?有什么说法吗?

You:There is a story but I don’t know it. I am from south China and we don’t share that custom.

是有一个故事但我不大清楚。我是南方人,我们那儿没有这个习俗。

David:It’s not a part of the custom in southern China. It is only a custom in Beijing?

中国南方没有这个习俗。那仅仅是北京有吗?

You:Not only Beijing, but all northern China.

不仅是北京,而且整个北方都有这样的习俗。

David:Someone told me before that, because the dumpling is round, it symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle. I am not sure, but sometimes I understand they put a coin inside when they make dumplings, whoever eats the dumpling with the coin will have good luck. Maybe this is more northeastern culture.

以前有人告诉我,饺子是圆的,象征着新的一轮的开始;我不知道这是不是真的。可是,我知道有时候人们包饺子时也会把一个饺子里面包上一枚硬币。吃到这个饺子的人就会有好运。也许这更具有东北特色一些。

You:Yeah, Ithink so.

我也这样认为。

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