How to Eat with Chopsticks

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Though it may seem confusing or complicated at first, eating with chopsticks is fairly easy once you know how to hold and maneuver the sticks properly. This does not describe where the broad end of the chopstick should lie. Click on another answer to find the right one This is where the narrow, not the broad, end of the chopstick should lie. The broad end of the chopstick should lie in the crook of your hand where your thumb and pointer finger connect.

Read on for another quiz question. The broad end of the chopstick does not lie between your middle finger and the base of your thumb. If there are no public serving chopsticks, you can also use the other non-eating end of your chopsticks. It is not polite to use the chopsticks you have already placed in your mouth to serve yourself food. If you do need to use them, use the end you have not eaten from. These utensils will most likely not be available. If you ask for them, you may seem out of place. You need to use some kind of utensil to get the food from the serving bowl to your plate.

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To hold your chopsticks properly, lay the first chopstick between your middle finger and the base of your thumb, then grip the second chopstick between your index finger and thumb. If necessary, move your hand up and down the chopsticks until you find a comfortable position. Then, move your index finger toward the palm of your hand to close the second chopstick and grip the food.

Reader Approved Why choose wikiHow? In the case of this article people, many anonymous, came together to create this article. It also received 42 testimonials from readers, earning it our reader approved badge. Pick up the first chopstick and place it between your middle finger and the base of your thumb. This one is your anchor -- it should not move. Stiffen your hand for a firm grip. Have the broad end of the chopstick lay in the crook of your hand, where your thumb and pointer finger connect. Rest the narrow end between the base of your thumb and the side of your index finger.

It should be virtually immobile. It's similar to how you hold a pen, but a bit lower. 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. This frees the middle finger to hold the other chopstick more securely and provides that one with more control. It is a more formal approach. Grip the second chopstick with your index finger and thumb.

This is the stick that moves.

Place your thumb over the side of the second chopstick, so it rests above the first. Adjust your grip to a more comfortable position.

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Make sure the narrow tips of the chopsticks are even with each other to help prevent them from crossing or being unable to "pinch" the food. To get them even, you can tap them on the table. Uneven chopsticks will be very difficult to use. Practice opening and closing the chopsticks. Make sure the broad ends of the chopsticks do not make an "X" as this will make it difficult to pick up food. Is only the top one moving? If it helps, move your hand up and down the chopsticks, but maintaining the same position, experimenting with levels of grip.

Some find it easier to maneuver closer to the base, others further up. Start picking up food! Once you have it steady, lift 'er up. If it feels unstable, put it down and try again. Once you get good at one type of food, move onto different sizes and textures. When you start feeling really confident, practice with noodles! Method 1 Quiz When you pick up your first chopstick, where should the broad end lie? On the side of your ring finger.

Between the base of your thumb and the side of your index finger.

How To Eat With Chopsticks

In the crook of your hand. Between your middle finger and the base of your thumb. Know the rules when sharing food. Often at Asian dining tables whether at home or at a restaurant means sharing large plates of food. It's not proper to dive into the communal meal with chopsticks that have just been in your mouth! You have two options: That's the broad end that hopefully, you're not chewing on! Know what to do with them when not eating. The rules of using chopsticks don't end once you have the food in your mouth, unfortunately. Each society has slightly different rules, but in general: Don't stick your chopsticks upright in your food.

It's looked at as a bad omen and is reminiscent of incense at funerals. Don't spear your food with the ends of your chopsticks. If all else fails, it may seem like a good alternative, but it's viewed as impolite. Don't pass food from chopstick to chopstick. Also funeral protocol and viewed as bad or even ominous table behavior. Don't cross your chopsticks. If you're done eating, lay them to the side of your dish on the left. Don't point at people with your chopsticks. Pointing, in general, is a no-no in Asian cultures and same goes with chopsticks. This page would be far too long if all the rules were listed.

These are the basics.

When eating rice, be willing to dig in. If a bowl of rice is placed in front of you and all you have are two small bamboo rods, you may feel like you're up a creek without a paddle. But it's perfectly acceptable normal, rather to lift the bowl of rice close to your mouth and work from there. You won't look foolish, you'll look seasoned! You may feel a little like the Beast during his dinner with Belle, but rest assured, this is how it's done. Don't shovel the rice into your mouth like a caveman, but do lift up the bowl near to you to prevent rice drippings from accumulating around your eating area.

Japan has slightly stricter rules regarding this. If you're in China or Vietnam, for example, you may be able to shovel away. Method 2 Quiz What should you do when taking food from a communal bowl? Use a public pair of serving chopsticks. Use your personal chopsticks. Use a spoon or fork. Use the bowl to dump the food on your plate.

How to eat with chopsticks

Bamboo or wooden are the easiest chopsticks to use because of the gripping texture at the top. Not Helpful 1 Helpful This is a quotation from Method 1: Not Helpful 2 Helpful You can get them at the supermarket or a kitchen store. You can also get them from Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Not Helpful 0 Helpful Koreans will typically eat boiled rice with a spoon. In Korea, it is also considered bad behavior to hold a spoon and chopsticks together. Lastly, you should always wait until the elder starts eating before you start eating.

Not Helpful 27 Helpful You may use whatever utensil that makes you comfortable. It is impolite to hold chopsticks and a spoon or fork together. This really depends on the type of noodles you are eating and on local etiquette. Japanese Ramen usually involves a lot of slurping. 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! Eating ramen, it is completely okay and expected! When you finish the noodles assuming there is some broth left you can ask for kaedama: Finish the broth with a spoon or drinking directly from the bowl.

Not Helpful 21 Helpful Is it disrespectful to cross chopsticks like an "x" when holding them?

How to Eat with Chopsticks

Not only is it disrespectful to cross your chopsticks in some areas, but it is also not practical. It is believed that chopsticks originated in China during the Shang Dynasty more than 3, years ago. Many superstitions and traditional beliefs might have been the source for the preference of chopsticks over knives or other utensils. For example, Confucius believed that knives which were associated with acts of aggression did not belong at the dinner table.

One of the many superstitions during Chinese New Year is that food must be prepared ahead of time and ALL knives put away, otherwise it is believed that the good luck for the new year will be cut away if a knife is used during the first days of the year. Whatever their origins, the use of chopsticks eventually spread out to other Asian countries as well. Chopsticks are the eating utensil of choice in the East, I. Other Uses of Chinese Chopsticks: Here's more on Chinese Cooking Utensils.

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