You：我們經常吃米飯，但餃子可不是每天都吃。We usually eat rice but we don’t usually eat dumplings every day.

David：Sometimes I have had meals with Chinese friends and at the end of the meal, they choose whether to eat rice or dumplings. Why? 我跟中國朋友一起去吃飯時，他們經常會在快吃完時才點米飯或餃子。這是為什么?

You：哦。在餐館里，人們可能喜歡在正餐后吃點面食來填肚子;而在家里人們并不是每天都吃餃子。如果每頓都吃米飯，雖然很方便，但也會覺得煩的。中國人有除夕夜吃餃子的習俗，而且這一習俗在北方更為盛行。Well, maybe this is true in restaurants when people eat starch to fill up at the end of a meal. But eating at home is different. At home, dumplingsaren’t intended for every day consumption. If you eat rice at every meal, although it’s convenient, it can get boring. It’s a Chinese custom, especially in the north, to eat dumplings the night before Spring Festival.

David：Why? What’s the history?為什么?有什么說法嗎?

You：是有一個故事但我不大清楚。我是南方人，我們那兒沒有這個習俗。There is a story but I don’t know it. I am from south China and we don’t share that custom.

David：It’s not a part of the custom in southern China. It is only a custom in Beijing?中國南方沒有這個習俗。那僅僅是北京有嗎?

You：不僅是北京，而且整個北方都有這樣的習俗。

David：Someone told me before that, because the dumpling is round, it symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle. I am not sure, but sometimes I understand they put a coin inside when they make dumplings, whoever eats the dumpling with the coin will have good luck. Maybe this is more northeastern culture. 以前有人告訴我，餃子是圓的，象征著新的一輪的開始;我不知道這是不是真的。可是，我知道有時候人們包餃子時也會把一個餃子里面包上一枚硬幣。吃到這個餃子的人就會有好運。也許這更具有東北特色一些。

You：我也這樣認為。Yeah, Ithink so.