This … Some find it easier to maneuver closer to the base, others further up. Spoon and Chopsticks? Instead, put the piece of food you intend to share directly onto the other person's plate. Do not rub chopsticks together to remove splinters or wooden strings. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,926,495 times. A Step-by-Step Guide to Japanese Table Manners and Chopstick Etiquette, Learn How to Eat Like a Local With These Table Manners for Thailand, Some Dos and Don'ts for Chinese table manners. Chinese etiquette says that you may lift your personal rice bowl close to your mouth with one hand, as you use the chopsticks to push the rice into your mouth. Don't be fooled by the simplicity or small size — not all disposable chopsticks are made from scrap wood. It’s a fork, knife, pair of tongs, a whisk, and a steamer stand (just place them in … Not only is it disrespectful to cross your chopsticks in some areas, but it is also not practical. Move the first chopstick to pick up food. Chopsticks are not helpful if you do not know how to use them as tools for picking up food. Instead, use the chopsticks to bring the food. Lastly, you should always wait until the elder starts eating before you start eating. Don’t worry, though. Stiffen your hand for a firm grip. Plastic and metal chopsticks, although a bit more slippery to use, are far better choices for traveling more responsibly. Pointing, in general, is a no-no in Asian cultures and same goes with chopsticks. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. It is impolite to hold chopsticks and a spoon or fork together. If you're in China or Vietnam, for example, you may be able to shovel away. Use your chopsticks to tear apart large chunks of food. They also make more ornate bamboo versions these days, if that’s your fancy. Then hold the end of the chopstick in the crease between your thumb and first finger. It’s thought that they originated in ancient China and then spread throughout Asia. Japan has slightly stricter rules regarding this. But there's a problem with snapping those wooden sticks apart every meal: The demand for disposable chopsticks far surpasses the ability to make them from wood scrap. In China, people don’t eat in their own dishes. The bottom stick is held stationary in your fingers while the top stick — controlled by your first two fingers and thumb — is moved to pinch bites of food. If you're done eating, lay them to the side of your dish on the left. They're more forgiving than cubed foods when you're learning to keep the chopsticks lined up and how much pressure to apply. One uses his chopsticks to lift small portions of soup onto the spoon which is held in the weaker hand. Although more fun, they are eating utensils; don't do anything with them you wouldn't ordinarily do with a fork (e.g., play drums, twirl, point, etc...). Having a little knowledge of chopsticks etiquette and polite table manners goes a long way when enjoying a banquet or group meal in Asia. Rice can be particularly difficult to eat … Grasping Stick 2. Rule #1: Remember that chopsticks are eating utensils, same as spoons, knives, and forks. Japanese Ramen usually involves a lot of slurping. Once you get good at one type of food, move onto different sizes and textures. Apply a firm but gentle pressure on the food, just enough to keep the food from falling from the chopsticks. Hold the top chopstick like a pencil with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. The key to eating with chopsticks is simply to move only the top chopstick. This page would be far too long if all the rules were listed. Last Updated: February 11, 2021 Learn more... Chopsticks are a type of dining utensil typically used to eat East Asian cuisine. Greg Rodgers is a freelance writer and photographer from Kentucky. Always put your chopsticks to the right side of your spoon when resting on the table; the reverse is done at memorial dinners for deceased loved ones. He's been covering all things Asia for TripSavvy since 2010. lift your bowl to face level and push rice into your mouth, Unless rice is prepared sticky enough, eating it with chopsticks is tedious. This is a quotation from Method 1: "Some may prefer to hold the chopstick on the side of their ring finger, with the tip of their ring finger holding it in place. You may use whatever utensil that makes you comfortable. You can follow the instructions, but use your left hand instead of your right hand. In Asia, it's OK to. This applies when dipping from communal bowls or when eating from your own plate. Wooden chopsticks are less slippery for beginners than the plastic or metal versions, making them somewhat easier to handle. Rice and chopsticks seem like a mismatch. Tip: With the exception of sashimi, most types of sushi — especially nigiri — are eaten with the fingers rather than chopsticks. How to eat with chopsticks To Pick Up Food: 1) Hold chopstick number 1 between your ring and middle fingers, this chopstick stays stationary, it does not move. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Don't pass food from chopstick to chopstick. https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to/how-to-use-chopsticks/, https://www.pandabambu.com/tips-of-how-to-use-chopsticks/, https://kotaku.com/how-to-use-chopsticks-1689350890, http://www.arrowscientific.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25:chopsticks-formula-to-ease-fears&catid=16&Itemid=29, https://www.fluentu.com/blog/japanese/introduction-japanese-chopstick-etiquette/, http://justhungry.com/your-guide-better-chopstick-etiquette-mostly-japanese, http://www.china-family-adventure.com/how-to-eat-with-chopsticks.html, https://blog.opentable.com/2017/sushi-etiquette-dos-and-donts-from-6-top-sushi-chefs-hackdining/, https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/10-golden-rules-for-japanese-chopstick-manners, https://everythingchopsticks.com/Guide-to-Chopsticks-Etiquette-Around-the-World.html, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. An easy rule of thumb for chopsticks etiquette is simply to treat them as you would a fork and knife. Do not grasp chopsticks in your hand with all five fingers wrapped around as you would a weapon. % of people told us that this article helped them. You'll usually be forgiven for mistakes unless you really cause a loss of face. Use your chopsticks to separate bigger pieces of food by pushing them into it, and exerting a small amount of pressure to push them apart. At the end of the meal, place any disposable chopsticks back into the paper wrapper, and leave them to the right of your plate. They are held in the dominant hand, secured by fingers, and wielded as extensions of the hand, to pick up small pieces of food. If the rice is sticky, it makes it comparatively easy, but to a beginner, it may seem impossible. Can I Get a Fork When I Eat Out in Tokyo? Then, place the second chopstick above the first chopstick, in between your index finger and thumb. Shorter chopsticks are generally used as eating utensils but are nevertheless used in the kitchen for cooking. Do not use chopsticks to stab food, as this is considered rude and an insult to the chef or cook who prepared the food. We will walk you through the steps of eating with chopsticks as well as share some tips with you. The chopsticks are used to eat side dishes or pieces of meat while the spoon is used to eat soups and rice. We can't change etiquette easily. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. When you are not using your chopsticks, or have finished eating, lay them down in front of you with the tips to left. Metal chopsticks, as favored by the Koreans, are the hardest of all. Place the First Chopsticks in Your Dominant HandOnce you’ve got all of the supplies ready, it’s time … Eating rice using chopsticks seems counterintuitive, but Asians do it. Do not click your chopsticks together in the air for practice or on a bowl to make noises. Rest the narrow end between the base of your thumb and the side of your index finger. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Be careful when doing this, or you might send some of your food flying across the restaurant. Too much pressure is more likely to cause your chopsticks to cross at the narrow ends unless they're perfectly aligned and could literally launch your food across the table. Slurping soup and noodles — with deliberate noises, even — is acceptable throughout Asia. Some may prefer to hold the chopstick on the side of their ring finger, with the tip of their ring finger holding it in place. Once you get the hang of eating with chopsticks, you may find yourself looking forward to the next opportunity to improve. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. This stick will have a lot of work to do, as it should be the one solely responsible … To eat with chopsticks, first place one chopstick between your dominant index finger and your thumb. Be aware of the people you are eating with, and what the customs are. Navigating a Chinese Table Setting, That Chinese Food You're Eating Probably Originated in California, Slurp While You Eat, and Other Vietnam Etiquette Tips, How to Expertly Eat with Your Hand Indian-Style, The Street Foods You Must Try When Visiting Malaysia, Useful Lingo and Terminology for Sushi Addicts, This Indonesian Food Primer Offers Guidance on How to Eat in Indonesia, The Complete Guide to Hong Kong's Lantau Island, 8 Exciting Ways to Experience Kuala Lumpur's Food Scene, Tripsavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Try not to point them in anyone's immediate direction. Watch out: Don't noticeably pick through dishes for specific ingredients that happen to be your favorite. The most common materials used to make chopsticks are bamboo or plastic, but you can […] Can I use my middle finger to help me hold the second chopstick? This really depends on the type of noodles you are eating and on local etiquette. When taking a break, place your chopsticks in a tidy fashion to the right of your plate, preferably with the tips on the provided rest. Koreans use spoons to eat soups and sometimes rice. Next time you're at a fancy Japanese restaurant, remember to avoid rubbing your chopsticks together. Hold the top stick much in the same way you would hold a pen or pencil. The traditional way is the way you just read. You may feel a little like the Beast during his dinner with Belle, but rest assured, this is how it's done. It isn't the same as eating rice with a spoon, and it isn't a very nice spectacle, but it is commonly seen in Asia. Rest the upper chopstick on top of your middle finger, and use your thumb and middle finger to grip it tighter than the lower chopstick. Mix in condiments with your chopsticks, pick up some noodles with the chopsticks (some people twist them slightly as they grip the noodles in order to prevent the noodles from sliding off) and slurp away! Chopsticks are eating utensils that are a pair of small, tapered sticks that are used as the traditional eating utensils of Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea, and Taiwan. Do not leave chopsticks standing in a bowl vertically; this symbolizes death in many Asian cultures. If it helps, move your hand up and down the chopsticks, but maintaining the same position, experimenting with levels of grip. Don't spear your food with the ends of your chopsticks. Do not use chopsticks to gesture while talking or to point at people or dishes. Chopsticks are shaped pairs of equal-length sticks that have been used as kitchen and eating utensils in most of East Asia for over three millennia. This article has been viewed 1,926,495 times. Do not hit the bowl or plate with your chopsticks. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. To anyone used to this unique and flavorful cuisine, thequestion may seem silly. If all else fails, it may seem like a good alternative, but it's viewed as impolite. Pick with the other (non-eating) end of your chopsticks. • Don’t use chopsticks to search food in a dish. Place your first chopstick on the knuckle of your ring finger. You may never want to lose your face! Don't cross your chopsticks. Do Koreans have any cultural rules about eating with chopsticks? Do not point with your chopsticks at anyone; Do not wave your chopsticks around in the air or play with them. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. By using our site, you agree to our. Floppy and sliced foods, like cold cuts or sliced cheeses, are good to practice on. Apply pressure with your index finger on top of the upper chopstick to grip the food so you can lift it off of your plate. Keep reading if you want to learn proper chopstick etiquette! Using chopsticks pleasantly forces us to slow down, choose deliberate bites, and ultimately enjoy a meal a little more than had we just "shoveled" it in with spoon or fork! Using Chopsticks to Eat Rice Hold your chopsticks sideways. Pick up the first chopstick and place it between where your index finger and thumb connect. • Don’t hit the bowl with your chopsticks, because in ancient China, only baggers use chopsticks to hit the bowl to get attention from other people. Chopsticks are the eating utensil of choice in the East, i.e. Chopsticks are not only used when eating rice and side dishes, but also noodles, like soba and udon. These are the basics. Tips & Etiquette: The second chopstick should be placed on the ring finger and half of your thumb. Finish the broth with a spoon or drinking directly from the bowl. If your chopsticks cross while you hold them, then your technique is wrong and it will be next to impossible to pick up food. to bring your face close to the bowl and slurp loudly. This article has been viewed 1,926,495 times. Avoid crossing your chopsticks into an "X" — it symbolizes death in some cultures. Curl your ring finger and rest the middle of the chopstick on top to balance it. To newbies, however, it’s often a point of anxiety.You don’t want to offend the sushi chef or upset the other diners, so it’snatural to be nervous and have lots of questions. It is a more formal approach. No matter where you happen to be enjoying Asian food in the world, knowing how to eat with chopsticks correctly will come in handy. It is a more formal approach.". First, pick up a single chopstick, sandwiching it between your thumb and your index finger, as you would a pen. Blunt tapered chopsticks provide more surface area for holding food and for shoveling rice. Do not pick your teeth with your chopsticks, even if there is no toothpick where you dine. 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