The “regular” veggie that we usually see in an American supermarket is a deep purple and a bit fat, full of bitter seeds and with a meaty texture. Chinese eggplants, alternatively, are lighter in color, long and skinny, and have only a few seeds. This makes them less bitter, more sweet, and more tender.  Generally, the two are able to be swapped in Asian eggplant recipes, but you can absolutely tell the difference between the two.