关于饺子的起源传说众多，其中一种说法是饺子源于东汉时期，为医圣张仲景**。当时饺子是药用，张仲景用面皮包上一些祛寒的药材用来治病（羊肉、胡椒等），避免病人耳朵上生冻疮。

Zhang noticed many people's ears were frostbitten when he returned to his hometown one winter. He decided to wrap mutton, chilli and some warming medicinal herbs in dough skin. Folding into the shape of an ear, he boiled them in water before giving them to the poor.
有一年冬天，张仲景回乡时发现很多人的耳朵都冻伤了。他决定用面皮包上羊肉、胡椒和一些温补的草药，把它们折成耳朵的形状，在水里煮熟，然后送给穷人。

This food was originally called "Jiao'er" for its shape, and later the name slowly became Jiaozi.
最初因其形似耳朵而被称为“娇耳”，后来慢慢变成了饺子。

如今，饺子已经成为北方人餐桌上必不可少的美食，是家和温暖的象征。饺子形如元宝，新春佳节吃饺子，寓意着“招财进宝”。不同馅料的饺子有不同的含义，寄托了人们对新一年的美好期盼。

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Celery stuffing represents industriousness and (resulting) wealth. 芹菜(Celery) sounds like 'industrious wealth' (勤财). Leek stuffing represents long-term wealth. 'Leek' (韭菜) sounds like 'industrious wealth' (久财).
芹菜馅代表着勤劳和财富，因为芹菜听起来像“勤财”。韭菜馅代表富贵**，因为韭菜
听起来像“久财”。

Cabbage stuffing represents the blessing for a well-off life for a hundred years. 白菜(Cabbage) sounds like 'hundred wealth' (百财).
白菜馅代表了生活幸福长久的祝福。白菜听起来像“百财”。

Fish stuffing means surplus wealth. Reason: 'Fish' (鱼) sounds the same as 'surplus' (余). Eating fish dumplings means wishing you have a lot of remaining money.
鱼肉馅的饺子意味着财富盈余。因为鱼与“余”同音。吃鱼肉饺子意味着财富多多的祝福。

其实，不仅中国有饺子，其他国家也有类似的传统食物，比如，西班牙的烤饺子（empanada）、印度的咖喱角（samosa）、意大利的团子（gnocchi）等。下面一起来探访世界各地的“饺子”们。

西班牙：Empanada

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Empanada is Spanish for "wrapped in bread," a fitting name for this fried Argentinian dumpling. Bite the flakey crust and you'll commonly find a filling of ground beef, hard boiled eggs, olives, onions, paprika, and cumin. But they also come in of other varieties.
Empanada在西班牙语中是“包裹在面包里”的意思，这个名字对这种油炸饺子来说非常形象。咬开松软的外皮，你会发现里面包裹着碎牛肉、水煮蛋、橄榄、洋葱、辣椒粉和小茴香等馅料。但也有很多其他种类的Empanada。

印度：Samosa（咖喱角）

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Samosa are Indian dumplings that have a crispy, flaky, pastry-like shell, but are filled with spiced potatoes and peas, lentils, ground meat, or onions.
咖喱角是一种印度饺子，它外皮薄而酥脆，类似糕点，但里面包裹着加了香料的土豆和豌豆、扁豆、肉末或洋葱。

日本：Gyoza（日式煎饺）

[Photo/pexels]

These pan fried dumplings, known as gyoza, are the Japanese version of potstickers. They're stuffed with pork, cabbage, onion, and carrots, all of which are wrapped in a thin browned dough.
日本煎饺gyoza就是一种日式锅贴。日式煎饺的馅里有猪肉、卷心菜、洋葱和胡萝卜，这些馅料被包裹在焦黄的薄面皮里。

德国：Knödel

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Traditional German dumplings — knödel or klöße— are not filled with anything, but paired with German meats such as schnitzel, sauerbraten, or rouladen.
传统德国饺子knödel（或klöß）没有任何馅料，而是与炸肉排、醋烩牛肉或牛肉卷等德式肉食搭配。

塞尔维亚：Pelmeni

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Pelmeni originally come from Serbia, but are found all over Russia. The dumplings are stuffed with meat such as turkey or pork, mushrooms, or cheese.
Pelmeni起源于塞尔维亚，但在俄罗斯各地都有。这种饺子里是火鸡、猪肉、蘑菇或奶酪等馅料。

越南：banh bot loc（水晶虾饺）

[Photo/pexels]

Banh bot loc are Vietnamese dumplings made from tapioca flour, which develops a chewy texture when cooked. The dumplings are stuffed with pork and shrimp.
Banh bot loc是由木薯粉制成的越南饺子，烹煮后很有嚼劲，里面包裹着猪肉和虾。