Meaning
元宵 refers to both the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month) and the sweet glutinous rice balls traditionally eaten during this festival. These round white dumplings are filled with sweet ingredients like sesame paste, red bean, or peanuts, symbolizing family reunion and completeness.
Usage
While 元宵 and 汤圆 (tāng yuán) both refer to glutinous rice balls, 元宵 is more commonly used in northern China and specifically associated with the festival, while 汤圆 is the southern term and can be eaten year-round. When referring to the festival itself, you can say 元宵节 (yuán xiāo jié) or simply 元宵.
Examples
- 01元宵节那天，我们全家一起吃元宵，看花灯。, , .On Lantern Festival day, our whole family ate tangyuan together and looked at the decorative lanterns.
- 02妈妈煮了一锅元宵，有芝麻馅的也有花生馅的。, .Mom boiled a pot of tangyuan, some with sesame filling and some with peanut filling.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个元宵
- 碗一碗元宵
Common collocations
- 元宵节Lantern Festival
- 吃元宵to eat tangyuan
- 闹元宵to celebrate the Lantern Festival
- 煮元宵to boil tangyuan
Origin
The name literally means 'first night,' referring to the first full moon night of the lunar new year. The festival and its food both take this name because it falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, when the moon is full.