Jiaozi ( 饺子 ) is a Chinese dumpling, which consists of a ground meat or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by crimping. The jiaozi should not be confused with the wonton ( 馄饨 ): the jiaozi dumpling has a thicker skin, is shaped slighly like a tiny turnover, and is usually eaten with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce; while a wonton has a thinner skin, is shaped like a comet, and is usually served in broth.

Chinese dumplings may be divided into various subclasses. Steamed dumplings are called zhengjiao ( 蒸饺 ). Boiled dumplings are called "water dumplings" or shuijiao ( 水饺 ). Fried dumplings are called "potstickers" or guotie ( 锅贴 ), also refered to as "dry-fried dumplings" or jianjiao ( 煎饺 ). Dumplings that use egg rather than dough to wrap the filling are called "egg dumplings" or danjiao ( 蛋饺 ).

Dumplings are one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year ( 春节 ). The shape of a dumpling resembles a Chinese golden tael; therefore they symbolize good fortune in the coming year. Families have dumpling wrapping parties just before New Year where they slaughter the choicest livestock, grind the meat, wrap the meat into dumplings, and freeze them outside with the help of the freezing weather. Then they boil and serve them for the Chinese New Year feast.

For the New Year's feast, one of the dumplings is deliberately wrapped with a coin embedded in the filling; another is wrapped with a date embedded in the filling. Whoever gets the dumpling with a coin supposedly will get good fortune for the year. A female who gets the dumpling with a date will be supposedly be blessed with giving birth to a child for that year.

Popular dumpling meat fillings include mutton, pork, beef, fish, and shrimp which are usually mixed with minced vegetables. Popular vegetable fillings include cabbage, scallion, and Chinese chives. Dumplings are eaten with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce that may include garlic, ginger, rice wine, hot sauce, and vinegar.