In a word, tangyuan is the same as yuanxiao. There is no difference in the shape of the white round ball, but there are many differences in the production methods of the two kinds of things. Look at the introduction below.
What's the difference between Yuanxiao and Tangyuan?
The biggest difference between Yuanxiao and Tangyuan is the local tradition. In the south, tangyuan is eaten. In the north, tangyuan is wrapped and rolled. Baotangyuan is like baozi. Add water to glutinous rice flour to make a dough, then put the stuffing into it, and rub it with your hands. Yuanxiao is in trouble. First mix the stuffing and solidify it, then cut the stuffing into small balls, and roll it in the sieve of glutinous rice noodles (dry). Then roll it over and over again. It will roll out. You can try it if you have time. This is why the water content of Tangyuan is more than that of yuanxiao.
What do Yuanxiao and Tangyuan do?
To make the Lantern Festival, first of all, you need to mix the stuffing and cut the solidified stuffing into small pieces. After one pass of water, you need to throw it into a container full of glutinous rice noodles for rolling. Then you need to pass the water again and continue to put it back into the container for rolling. Repeat several times until the stuffing is covered with glutinous rice noodles and rolled into a ball.
When making Tangyuan, first add water to the dried glutinous rice flour and make it into a dough. Then pull a small wet dough by hand and squeeze it into a round shape. Pick a bunch of stuffing and put it on the glutinous rice slices. Then turn your hands and close your mouth to make glutinous rice balls.
Because the Lantern Festival is rolled out, there will be a 'hairy head' on the surface of the Lantern Festival, that is, flour floating powder. When cooking in the pot, the flour will be mixed into the water, and the soup will be milky white, which will expand rapidly after cooking, larger than the tangyuan.