Around Shanghai and the lower Yangtze,
圆子 are small plain glutinous rice balls, as in
酒酿圆子 (rice balls in sweet fermented rice soup); bigger filled ones are
汤圆 or
元宵. In parts of central China, such as Hubei and Anhui,
圆子 also means meatballs, fried in big batches for New Year.