What is the standard Mandarin pinyin spelling for 餃子?

The standard Mandarin pinyin spelling for 餃子 is jiǎozi.

The word refers to jiaozi, a Chinese dumpling traditionally made from a thin dough wrapper filled with meat, vegetables, or both. In mainland China, the simplified characters are 饺子; 餃子 is the traditional-character form. The pinyin uses a third-tone mark on jiǎo, while zi is commonly pronounced with a neutral tone.

Jiaozi are especially associated with northern Chinese cuisine and Lunar New Year celebrations, when their shape is linked symbolically with ancient silver or gold ingots and wishes for prosperity. They may be boiled, steamed, pan-fried, or served in soup.

Jiaozi are often confused with wontons, but the two usually differ in wrapper thickness, shape, fillings, and serving style. The Japanese food called gyōza is historically related to jiaozi, while mantou and baozi are other kinds of Chinese steamed bread or filled buns, not the Mandarin spelling of 餃子.