It’s a Sunday night and you’re looking for something fast and easy for dinner, preferably delivered. After sorting through the take out flyers stuck to the fridge, you decide on Asian cuisine – Perfect! Only problem… not quite knowing how to properly use chopsticks. Instead of being excited for the No. 32 with rice, your heart is now sinking… frustration is setting in, and a reach for the cutlery drawer is made.
Put down the fork now! The team at SexyMandarin in another “How To…” Blog have decided to snap apart and break down the fine art that is using chopsticks correctly.
Serving chopsticks – 公筷 gōng kuài
Disposable chopsticks – 日本竹筷 Rì bĕn zhú kuài
Reusable chopsticks – 保筷 huán băo kuài
Asian Cuisine – 亚洲美食 Yàzhōu měishí
1. Pick up the first chopstick. Letting it rest in the crook between your thumb and index finger, hold the chopstick firmly using your middle finger for support.
This chopstick should not move at when both using to pick up food and then eating.
2. Pick up the second chopstick. Using a grip similar to a pen, hold the chopstick with both your index finger and thumb.
This upper chopstick is the only stick that moves. Use your index finger to make the chopstick move up and down. Adjust your grip until comfortable.
3. Eat!
To master chopstick use, make sure you practice lots. This way, you’ll be sure to impress when dining out with friends in the future.
Some handy rules to know when using chopsticks…
- Do not stand your chopsticks upright in your food! This is considered bad luck!
- Do not be lazy and use your chopsticks as a skewer to stab food. This is considered rude.
- Though meaning well, do not pass food to other people ‘chopstick to chopstick’. This is seen as being a bad omen due to rituals used during cremations.
- Do not point your chopsticks at any body! Just like Western dining with knives and forks, same goes for when eating Asian cuisine.
- When in public sharing food, do not double dip your personal chopsticks! This is considered rude. Instead, have a serving pair of chopsticks for the table that everyone can use.
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Study Up ^_^