How to Have Chopstick Manners

Hard to master, but satisfying when you do, eating with chopsticks adds a certain flair to any Asian meal. In addition to mastering the technique of using chopsticks, there are manners to be learned as well. These manners are easily mastered and resemble Western table manners. By remembering a few easy rules, you'll be sure to exhibit true class at any meal.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Hold your chopsticks properly. Do not hold them with your fist.

2. Keep from waving your chopsticks around over the table. It is considered rude to move your chopsticks around over the dishes as you try to decide what to put in your dish. It is also considered rude to sling food from your chopsticks while waving them around.

3. Pick up one food at a time. When you make a food choice, pick it up from the dish and put it on your plate. Do not pick up food, drop it back into the dish and then pick up another item. This is considered impolite.

4. Move your bowl on your own. Do not use your chopsticks to move your bowl or cup. If you wish to move your bowl, reach out and move it with your hands. Additionally, it's considered rude to pick up any bowl or dish with the hand you're holding a chopstick with.

5. Keep your bowl at a normal distance when eating. Do not put your bowl to your mouth and shovel rice into your mouth with your chopsticks. This is just plain bad manners.

6. Refrain from depositing your chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice. Buddhists use this method as a sign of mourning and to serve rice to deceased ancestors.

7. Point with your finger if you must. Never use your chopstick to point at any object or person when eating. This is an eating utensil, not a pointer.

8. Use your chopsticks as they were meant to be used. Do not use them to get attention by tapping them on something. They are not a spoon, and using them by putting them parallel to each other is considered impolite. They are meant for picking food items up, not for jabbing food.

9. Pass food by means other than chopsticks. At Buddhist funerals, chopsticks are used to pass the bones of the burned body.

10. Cut meat by using the pressure of your chopsticks. Do not use a sawing motion with your chopsticks to cut food.

11. Eat food without playing with it or analyzing it. It's rude to stir a bowl of soup or any other dish with the pure intention of looking for certain ingredients.

12. Eat from your chopsticks appropriately. Just as it's rude to slurp from a spoon, it's also impolite to suck food from your chopsticks.

13. Place your chopsticks on the chopstick rest when not in use. This keeps your chopsticks from touching anything you don't want them to touch.

14. Deposit disposable chopsticks bag into the bag they came in. Fold the bag in half. This lets your server know you are finished using your chopsticks.