How to Eat with Chopsticks

Chopsticks are a type of utensil commonly used to eat East Asian dishes. Using chopsticks may seem confusing or complicated at first, but eating with chopsticks is quite easy once you know how to hold and control them properly.

Table of Contents

Chopstick control

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Pick up the first chopstick and place it in the gap between your index finger and thumb. This wand acts as an anchor — you must not let it move . Firm your hand for a firmer grip. Place the large end of the chopstick in the recess of your hand, where your thumb and index finger meet. Place the small tip between the base of your thumb and the edge of your middle finger. This wand will stay mostly fixed. Similar to how you hold the pen, but a little lower. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Some people may prefer to hold their chopsticks next to their ring finger, using the tip of their ring finger to hold the chopstick in place. This will free up the middle finger to hold the other chopstick more firmly and control the chopstick better. It is a more formal way of holding chopsticks.

Hold the second chopstick firmly with your index finger and thumb. This is a movable wand. Place your thumb on the side of the second chopstick, resting on top of the first. Adjust your finger grip for more comfort. Make sure that the small ends of the 2 chopsticks are lined up with each other to avoid crossing or not being able to “pick up” the food. ^{[2] X Research Source}

To align chopsticks, you can tap them lightly on the table. Unequal chopsticks will be difficult to use.

Practice opening and closing chopsticks. Make sure the big end of the chopsticks doesn’t form an “X” as this will make it difficult for you to pick up the food. Is only the chopstick above moving? That is correct! ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If necessary, move your hand up and down along the chopsticks, but maintain the same grip, and experiment with different grip strengths. Some people find it easier to control if held close to the sharp end of the chopstick, others are more comfortable holding it higher.

Practice picking up food! Starting with a 45° grip is easiest at this point. After you have stabilized your chopsticks, raise the chopsticks higher. If it doesn’t feel right, put it down and try again. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Once you’ve mastered one type of food, move on to foods of different sizes and textures. When you start to feel really confident, practice picking noodles!

Culture of using chopsticks

Know the rules when sharing food. At Asian tables (whether at home or at a restaurant), people often share large plates of food. It is not appropriate to use chopsticks that have just been placed in the mouth to pick up food during a shared meal! ^{[5] X Research Source} You have two options:

Use a shared pair of chopsticks never to touch your own (or anyone else’s) rice/food bowl.
Use the other (non-eaten) end of the chopsticks. That’s the big end of the chopsticks that hopefully you won’t suck in!

Know what to do with chopsticks when not eating. Unfortunately, the rules for using chopsticks don’t end when you have food in your mouth. Each society has slightly different rules, but generally speaking: ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Don’t stand chopsticks upright in your food bowl. It is seen as a bad omen and makes people think of incense at funerals.
Don’t skewer your food with the tip of your chopsticks. If you still can’t pick it up with chopsticks, that seems like a good alternative, but it’s considered impolite.
Don’t transfer food from your chopsticks to someone else’s chopsticks. This is also a funeral rite and is seen as bad behavior at the dinner table (or even a harbinger of bad luck).
Do not cross your chopsticks. If you’ve finished eating, put them to the left of the serving bowl.
Do not use chopsticks to point at others. Pointing at others is generally taboo in Asian culture and the same goes for chopsticks.
- This post would be too long if all the rules were listed. These are just the basics.

When eating rice, be ready to use chopsticks. If a bowl of rice is placed in front of you and all you have are two small bamboo chopsticks, you might feel like you’re walking on a creek without oars. But it’s perfectly acceptable (or rather, normal) for you to lift the bowl of rice close to your mouth to eat. You won’t look silly, but you’ll look great!

It might feel a little weird but rest assured, that’s how you do it. Don’t stuff rice into your mouth like a primitive, but lift the bowl up close to you to avoid the rice spilling around your seat.
- Japan has slightly stricter rules about this. If you are in China or Vietnam, for example, you can use chopsticks and rice. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Advice

While it may seem easier at first to hold the chopsticks close to the end, holding the chopsticks further away means the two chopsticks are almost parallel to each other, which will help you scoop food (like rice) from below. You can also pick up larger pieces of food.
Do not use chopsticks to skewer food, as this is considered rude and insulting to the chef or chef who prepared the food.
If you have the opportunity to go to an upmarket Japanese restaurant, be sure to avoid rubbing your chopsticks together. This action is considered rude as it implies that the chopsticks are of poor quality. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Soft and sliced foods, such as sliced cheese or deli meats, are great for practicing gripping. They are easier to grasp than chopsticks once you learn how to keep your chopsticks in line and how much force to use to hold them. You can also practice gripping larger foods, like popcorn and marshmallows, before using chopsticks with more complex foods like rice and noodles.
Wooden or bamboo chopsticks are the easiest to use because of the texture that has a grip on the end. Plastic chopsticks will be more difficult to use. Metal chopsticks, favored by Koreans, are the hardest of all. Master each type of chopsticks one by one, then move on to another.
If you were given disposable chopsticks at a restaurant, consider bringing them home for more practice at home.
Apply firm but gentle pressure on the food, just enough to keep the food from falling off the chopsticks. Too much force can cause your chopsticks to cross at the ends unless they are perfectly aligned and could fly your food across the table.
Be patient as it takes some time to learn how to use chopsticks correctly. You can absolutely ask for a fork or spoon if you’re too frustrated.

Warning

Don’t knock your chopsticks on a bowl or plate because that’s how beggars did it in ancient China.
Do not use chopsticks to floss, even if there are no toothpicks where you dine.
Determine what kind of food on the plate you want to eat before you put your chopsticks in it. Choosing what’s on the plate is considered very impolite.
Avoid passing food with chopsticks. This is like part of a traditional funeral in Japan, where family members pass bones with chopsticks. ^{[9] X Source of Research} Instead, when transferring food, place food on an intermediate plate, preferably using a serving utensil or, if not available, rotate chopsticks so that the unused ends are not picked up. eat, then give the plate to someone else.
According to Chinese custom, you can bring your rice bowl close to your mouth with one hand when you use chopsticks to bring the rice to your mouth. However, according to Korean custom, this is very bad practice! See who you are dining with, and what their customs are. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Things you need

Chopsticks
Food

Steps

Chopstick control

Culture of using chopsticks

Advice

Warning

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