The dumplings(dumplings are small lumps of dough that are cooked and eaten, either with meat and vegetables or as part of a sweet pudding) are a food that consists of small pieces of dough, either cooked alone or wrapped around a filling. They can be based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets.

They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may be sweet or savoury. They can be eaten by themselves, in soups or stews, with gravy, or in any other way. While some dumplings(饺子jiǎozi) resemble solid water-boiled doughs, such as gnocchi, others such as wontons or ravioli(ravioli is a type of pasta that is shaped into small squares, filled with minced meat or cheese and served in a sauce) feature a wrapping of dough around a filling.