餃子
gyōza[ɡʲo̞ːza̠]
The Japanese word for dumplings is 餃子, known as gyōza.
餃子 refers specifically to Chinese-style dumplings, which are small pieces of dough wrapped around a filling, typically meat and vegetables, that are boiled or fried. This is distinct from other types of dumplings, such as shūmai, which are steamed dumplings commonly found in Cantonese cuisine.
How do you pronounce it?
gyōza
Did you know?
- The word 餃子 did not appear in Japanese print until 1955, making it a relatively recent addition to the language.
- While 餃子 are globally associated with China, the specific style of pan-frying them with a layer of flour and water to create a crispy 'wing' is a popular Japanese adaptation.
- While 餃子 refers to Chinese-style dumplings, Japanese cuisine has many other 'dumplings' that use completely different names, such as 団子 (dango) for sweet rice flour balls.
Examples in context
- 「え、餃子にご飯？」「日本じゃ、普通よ」"Huh, rice and dumplings?" "It's normal in Japan."This sentence is useful for seeing how 餃子 is commonly eaten with rice in Japan.Tatoeba #10989261 by small_snow, translation #12599273 by urro
- 「ギョーザをお願いします。」Dumplings, please.
- 「ギョーザを食べてみたいです。」I'd like to try the gyoza.
- 「ギョーザを食べるのが大好きです。」I really enjoy eating dumplings.
- 今日の夕食は餃子です。Kyō no yūshoku wa gyōza desu.Today's dinner is dumplings.
- この餃子はとても美味しいです。Kono gyōza wa totemo oishii desu.These dumplings are very delicious.
Example conversation
Two people are deciding what to order at a restaurant.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、何を食べたい？Yōta, nani o tabetai?Yota, what do you want to eat?
- 陽太 Yota餃子が食べたいな。Gyōza ga tabetai na.I want to eat dumplings.
- 陽葵 Himariいいよ。じゃあ、餃子を頼もう。Ii yo. Jā, gyōza o tanomō.Okay. Then, let's order dumplings.
- 陽太 Yotaやった！楽しみだね。Yatta! Tanoshimi dane.Yay! I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 餃子, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 餃子, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
