Etiquette: eating with chopsticks
Fork on the left, knife on the right, work from the outside in and bring your hand to your mouth instead of the other way around. You probably know Dutch cutlery etiquette. But what about the etiquette for eating with chopsticks?
It differs somewhat from country to country—just like the chopsticks themselves—although there are also many similarities. For convenience, let’s start with those:
1. Planting your chopsticks vertically in your food
One of the biggest, and also most common, mistakes is leaving your chopsticks standing vertically in your (bowl of) food. This is associated with death. In Japan, because at funerals a bowl of rice with two chopsticks standing vertically in it is literally placed out; in China, because it brings to mind the incense burned in temples. Either way: it is said to bring bad luck. Taking a short eating break? Simply place your chopsticks on the holder provided.
2. Like a spear
Having trouble picking something up with your chopsticks? That’s fine, but please don’t use your chopstick as a spear to skewer your food. Chopsticks are not weapons, and it is simply considered rude. Think about it: you’d also find it strange if you saw someone threading everything onto their knife, wouldn’t you?
3. Transferring food
Sharing is caring, but don’t pass food from your chopsticks to someone else’s chopsticks. That is really not done. This rule also has to do with funeral rituals (passing cremated bones). Want to give something to someone? Place it on the other person’s plate first.
4. Pointing
Just like with our cutlery: don’t point with your chopsticks. Not even if you just want to say that you thought that one dish was incredibly delicious. Drumming, tapping and playing with your chopsticks are also strictly forbidden, by the way.
5. Crosswise
When you place your chopsticks crosswise on your bowl or plate, you are indicating that you no longer want the food. Haven’t finished eating yet? That could suggest that you didn’t like it. We said it before: in between bites, simply place your chopsticks on the holder provided. Didn’t you get one? Then place them on the wrapper they came in. Make sure you don’t place them crosswise, but neatly next to each other.
6. In your mouth
Need your hands? Don’t keep the chopsticks in your mouth; simply put them down beside you again. It is also not the intention to suck the last of the sauce off your chopsticks or chew on them.
7. Search engine
Don’t use your chopsticks to fish out the tastiest things from a shared dish. Use the serving chopsticks to put some on your own plate, then use your own chopsticks to eat it.
Now that you know the basic etiquette, here’s some etiquette by country:
Japan
- Lifting your bowl to your mouth to slide the food into your mouth with your chopsticks? Absolutely fine!
- Setting the table? The chopsticks should go above your plate, parallel to the table, with the thin tips pointing to the left.
- It is rude to roll the chopsticks against each other to remove splinters. By doing so, you are indirectly saying that the restaurant gave you cheap chopsticks.
China
- Just as in Japan, it is acceptable to lift your bowl and slide the food into your mouth with your chopsticks.
- Make sure that when you put your chopsticks down for a moment, they are not pointing at anyone at the table.
- Are there people at the table older than you? Then they may serve themselves and start eating first.
Taiwan
- Here too, you may lift your bowl and slide the food into your mouth with your chopsticks.
- Children at the table? Then you may use your chopsticks as a knife to divide the food into smaller pieces.
Vietnam
- You know the drill by now: lift it, slide it in? Totally okay.
- Finished eating? Don’t place your chopsticks in a V shape; it brings bad luck.
Korea
- Unlike in the other countries, lifting your bowl is not done in Korea. It stays on the table; you bring the food to your mouth with your chopsticks.
- In Korea, rice, soup and sauce are eaten with a spoon, so that spoon next to your chopsticks is not a mindfuck—you can simply use it.
Thailand
- JUST KIDDING! They haven’t eaten with chopsticks here for a hundred years.
Oh, and how are you supposed to hold those things? You can see that here:
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