If you have ever eaten Chinese food, you know how important it is to learn how to hold chopsticks. This will not only help you eat more food, it will also help you avoid a lot of pain.
Avoid grabbing them
While chopsticks are used for tasting oriental foods in restaurants, there are certain cultural rules to follow to avoid grabbing chopsticks when holding them. Taking the time to adhere to these rules can save you from embarrassment.
The first rule to remember is to not hold chopsticks in your mouth. This can be a tad unsanitary. It is also considered rude. Another rule is to keep your hands away from the food you are eating. Chewing with chopsticks is also frowned upon.
You should also not use them as a spoon. Some people consider this to be childish, but others do not see it as a bad thing. However, if you are unable to choose what to eat, go with the safe option of a random selection.
When you eat, you should also try to take small bites from each dish. If you eat too fast, you risk not getting enough from each plate. Also, be sure to use clean chopsticks.
Don’t stick them in a bowl of rice
Sticking chopsticks in a bowl of rice is one of the most common mistakes foreigners make. It is also a bad idea because it’s not only impolite, but it can actually hurt other people.
Eating with chopsticks is a very delicate process. In some Asian countries, it’s common to use several bowls for different dishes. So if you aren’t sure which bowl to use, ask. You may be offered a specific set of chopsticks for this purpose.
Unlike Westerners, who spit bones directly into the mouth, Asians pick up bones and then drop them in a separate bowl. This is because it’s considered rude to spit out the bone into your mouth.
There are some other things to do with chopsticks. For instance, you can slurp noodles. Or you can play with them by pointing them out like an airplane.
Also, if you don’t want to eat, you should not use chopsticks to remove food stuck in your teeth. Instead, use toothpicks.
Don’t point at people with them
Pointing at people with chopsticks is seen as rude and impolite in Japanese culture. It is also considered low-class. You are not supposed to point with chopsticks at someone, although it may be interpreted as saying “this is good” or “this is bad.”
When you are dining in Japan, you are expected to follow chopstick etiquette. This includes keeping your chopsticks low to the table. Also, you are not supposed to use your chopsticks to poke, stab, or otherwise skew the food. The only exceptions are during funerals and when serving someone else’s dish.
Chopsticks are used in China and Japan for eating only. They are also used to help bring food to the mouth and to separate food with controlled pressure. To avoid spitting liquid out of your chopsticks, you can use a “chopstick helper.”
You can use chopsticks in formal settings, but you are not supposed to point them at the food. Using chopsticks for a gesture is called tsukitate-bashi.
Don’t cross them
Crossing chopsticks when holding chopsticks is considered rude in many Asian countries. This is particularly true in Japan, where laying chopsticks on the table so they cross over each other is a sign of bad luck. In addition, laying chopsticks in a bowl of rice is associated with funerals.
While eating, Japanese people never point at other people with chopsticks. They prefer to eat directly from their own plate. That’s why it’s not acceptable to pass food from one chopstick to another, or even from your mouth to another person.
When you are dining at an Asian restaurant, you should always place chopsticks in the correct position. If the chopsticks are parallel, they are called upright chopsticks. Otherwise, they are called vertical chopsticks. It’s also important to hold your chopsticks with a firm grip.
The narrow tip of the chopstick should be between the base of your thumb and the side of your index finger. Keep it level, and make sure that it’s at least an inch away from the food.