满族 (Mǎn zú) refers to the Manchu ethnic group, one of China’s 56 officially recognized ethnic minorities. The character 满 (Mǎn) is the phonetic transliteration of 'Manchu' and historically denotes the people who founded the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912); 族 (zú) means 'ethnic group' or 'people', a common suffix for naming ethnicities in Chinese (e.g., 汉族, 藏族). Together, 满族 functions as a proper noun identifying this specific cultural and historical community.

The Manchu people are native to Northeast China (especially Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces) and maintain distinct traditions, language (now endangered), and customs such as the qipao (cheongsam) and shamanistic heritage. Though most Manchus today speak Mandarin and live throughout China, the term 满族 is used in official, academic, and cultural contexts to acknowledge their identity, rights, and contributions to Chinese history and multicultural society.