素馅 (sùxiàn): vegetable filling

Meanings

1 vegetable filling
2 vegetarian filling (for dumplings, buns, etc.)

Characters

素

Examples

我吃素，给我来一份素馅饺子。

Wǒ chīsù, gěi wǒ lái yí fèn sùxiàn jiǎozi.

I'm vegetarian — give me an order of vegetable-filling dumplings.

这家店的素馅包子非常好吃。

Zhè jiā diàn de sùxiàn bāozi fēicháng hǎochī.

This shop's veggie-filled steamed buns are delicious.

Tips

culture

On the lunar New Year's Eve, many northern families reserve 素馅饺子 for the first dumpling of the new year — 素 (sù) puns with 'plain/peaceful', symbolizing a calm year ahead. Common fillings: chives + egg, mushroom + tofu, three-fresh (mushroom/carrot/celery).

mistakes

馅 is xiàn (4th tone), not xián (2nd, 'salty'). Mixing them up is a frequent learner error since both characters appear in food contexts.