Baijiu (Hanzi:白酒, pinyin:bái jiǔ) is potent Chinese alcohol most common in northern China, especially in Manchuria and the area around Beijing and Tianjin. The name "Baijiu" literally means "white alcohol" or "white spirits". It is a clear alcohol generally distilled from sorghum or corn. In flavor and appearance it is similar to Russian vodka, Japanese sake, or Korean soju.

Baijiu is generally about 80 proof (40% pure alcohol) or more, making it a potent alcohol. It is typically served warm in a small ceramic bottle, and poured into small cups. In China, baijiu purchased from a market is a set of items, in a small box. This includes one to four bottles of baijiu already sealed into ceramic bottles, a small heater, and four to six small cups. This is similar to the methods and containers used to serve sake and soju.

Chinese tend to be very social drinkers, and enjoy drinking contests. With baijiu, this is very similar in appearance to the Western convention of drinking shots.