In Chinese, the name for a spring roll is written 春卷 (chūn juǎn). The first character means “spring,” while the second means “roll,” making the literal sense “spring roll.” In traditional Chinese writing, it commonly appears as 春捲, with 捲 as the traditional form of 卷.
Spring rolls are linked with springtime customs in China. Early versions developed from thin pancakes filled with fresh seasonal vegetables, offering a welcome change after winter. The dish later evolved into the crisp, filled rolls now associated with Chinese restaurants and Spring Festival meals.
The alternatives can cause confusion because 潤餅 and 薄餅 refer to related fresh-roll or pancake traditions, especially in Taiwan and Fujian-speaking communities. 春饼, meanwhile, means “spring pancake,” a wrapper or pancake dish rather than the standard simplified-Chinese name for the filled roll. Regional recipes vary widely: some spring rolls are fried, while others are eaten fresh.