The plain steamed bun often served as a staple in Chinese cuisine is mantou. It is a soft, leavened bread made primarily from wheat flour, water, and a raising agent, then cooked by steaming rather than baking.
Mantou became especially important in northern China, where wheat has traditionally been a major crop and wheat-based foods fill the role that rice often occupies farther south. They may be eaten with savory dishes, used as a breakfast food, or served plain as a simple source of carbohydrates. Some modern versions include sugar, milk, whole grains, or sweet potatoes.
The key distinction is between mantou and baozi. In modern Mandarin, mantou usually means an unfilled steamed bun, while baozi normally contains a filling such as pork, vegetables, or red bean paste. Historically and regionally, however, the word mantou has sometimes referred to both filled and unfilled buns, which explains occasional variation in menus and translations.