Chopsticks are an incredibly popular utensil, specifically when eating food of Asian origin. But whether you’re planning on visiting those countries or are wanting to eat in authentic restaurants that specialise in Asian cuisine, it’s important that you know how to use your chopsticks correctly and respectfully. Here are ten mistakes that you should avoid making when using chopsticks:
1. Rubbing chopsticks together
You might be wondering why someone would choose to rub their chopsticks together in the first place. One of the main reasons is to rid the utensil of splinters that often occur as a result of pulling your chopsticks apart, because they have been manufactured and distributed in a way that causes them to fuse together.
This gives the user peace of mind that they haven’t been used before. Although it might be tempting to rub them both together to smooth off the splintered material, it’s something you should refrain from doing before using your chopsticks.
Culturally, rubbing your chopsticks together gives the restaurant the impression that you believe that they have provided you with chopsticks of an inferior quality. To avoid offending your host, don’t rub your chopsticks together, even if splinters have developed. We’ll talk about why splinters shouldn’t be an issue in a moment.
2. Holding chopsticks too far down
We’ve just discussed the importance of not rubbing your chopsticks together, so let’s now talk about how this won’t be a problem for you. Generally, chopsticks that come fused together will be joined right at the top of the utensil. You shouldn’t be holding your chopsticks that far up in the first place, which also means that you won’t become affected by the newly-developed splinters.
That being said, you shouldn’t hold the chopsticks too far down because there’s less room for movement at that point. This means that you’ll have a harder time picking up your food. If you hold the chopsticks further up, then you have more control and movement. You should make sure that the tips of your fingers are placed in the middle and that the crook of your index finger and thumb is placed towards the end of the chopstick. The main rule is to never hold the chopstick too close to the tapered ends, essentially.
3. Sticking chopsticks in food to stand them upright
This is more of an etiquette issue when it comes to chopsticks. Would you do the same thing with your knife and fork, for example? It’s also greatly frowned upon in some countries, including in Korea and Japan. This is because, in Japan, a special set of chopsticks are used to pick the bones of a deceased person from the ashes throughout a cremation ceremony, something that is true of many Asian countries, including China as well as Japan.
Those chopsticks are then presented to the family of the person who has passed away. However, the way in which they’re displayed resembles that of chopsticks that have been stuck into food in order for them to be stood up right. The family will receive the chopsticks in an urn that are stuck in a downwards position, so make sure you aren’t using rice or another piece of food to stick your chopsticks into.
4. Passing food from one set of chopsticks to another
Much like placing chopsticks in your food so that they stand upright, passing food from one set of chopsticks to another is also frowned upon for cultural reasons. In Japan in particular, their funerary practices dictate that the family of the person who has died will pass the bones of the person who has died from one set of chopsticks to another. In addition to this being frowned upon for cultural reasons, it’s also advised against for practical reasons. Not only is it unhygienic to pass food from one used utensil to another, it’s also messy.
5. Stabbing food with chopsticks
This is something that you shouldn’t do when using chopsticks. Although there aren’t any cultural objects to this, it’s considered to be rude and is a display of poor table manners. You must use both chopsticks at the same time to pick up your food, not to stab it. Imagine an invisible tether or link between them that keeps them attached at all times. Think of your chopsticks as a pair of tongs or tweezers and not as spears or skewers.
6. Stirring your food with your chopsticks
You mustn’t use your chopsticks to look through your bowl of food or for stirring your food. This is considered to be rude. Not only should you refrain from doing this in your own bowl of food, but you should also avoid doing that if you’re sharing your dishes among other diners. In addition to it being rude, it’s looked at as being greedy whilst also being insulting to the cook. If you’re wanting to move bowls around, stir your dish or need to find a specific food in your meal, then use the utensils provided or ask for some help. Don’t use your chopsticks.
7. Resting chopsticks on a dish pointing at others
Where it’s not frowned upon to rest your chopsticks on your bowl or plate, provided they’re placed together, it is considered to be rude if your chopsticks are pointing at another diner who is seated at the table. Culturally, it’s viewed as someone pointing arrows or swords at others.
In countries where chopsticks are regularly used, people will automatically know not to do this, much like how, in Western cultures, knife blades are set pointing inwards as opposed to outwards. This is something that you wouldn’t give a second thought to, so make an effort to not rest your chopsticks with the tips pointing at others.
8. Placing chopsticks in a crossed position on the dish
You should avoid placing your chopsticks in a crossed position when you’ve finished using them. This is because, in China especially, crossed chopsticks represent death. In Japan, however, this association isn’t made, but it is considered to be rude. It could be that you’re telling the chef that you no longer want the dish that they have made. If you haven’t finished your meal, then it’s looked at as bad table manners and the chef may find it to be an insult.
If you’re done with your meal and no longer need the chopsticks, then place them on the wrapper they came in, to the left of your dish or on a chopstick rest, if you’re given one. If you have a disposable set of chopsticks, then place them back in the wrapper they came in and leave them at the side of your bowl or plate, on the table.
9. Using your chopsticks to point at people
Pointing at people, generally, is considered to be a rude gesture in many different cultures around the world. This is no different if you have a pair of chopsticks in your hands. It’s considered to be equally as rude in many Asian cultures, so refrain from doing it when using chopsticks, as a general rule. Something you should do, to make sure you don’t use your chopsticks as pointers, is to put your chopsticks down at the side of your plate (side-by-side), with the tips pointing away from other people, before you start talking.
10. Using mismatched chopsticks
Not only is this a practice that makes you look chaotic, but it can asemble some funeral rites in certain cultures. Culturally, anything to do with funerals or death, no matter the country, is considered to be bad luck and in poor taste. Make sure you’re using chopsticks that match. Not only can this involve the colour or the pattern on them, but it also includes the length of the chopsticks.lso re
School of Wok are a specialist cooking company who are dedicated to providing cooking classes and arranging corporate events to customers throughout London. Whether you want to learn how to create the perfect oriental dish or are looking for some excellent team-building activities that the entire office can enjoy, School of Wok will always be on hand to help. In addition to that, you’ll also be able to purchase high-quality cookware, including chopsticks, woks, cooking tools and more, so you’ll have everything you need to prepare a delicious Asian meal. For further information, get in touch with a member of our expert team today on 0207 018 9119.
