How To Use Chopsticks

Many traditions get misrepresented and lost in translation (in my own dissertation discussion chapter I even analyzed this phenomenon).

Yes, you too can use Chopsticks. Here are some web pages to help you:

Chopstick Taboos

Kaki-Bashi
To rake in or shovel food on one's mouth attached to plate or bowl.
Yose-Bashi
To pull your plate around with chopsticks.
Sashi-Bashi
To pick up food by stabbing it
Namida-Bashi
To drop the sauce from the food of from chopsticks.
Komi-Bashi
To overfill one's mouth by stuffing food with chopsticks.
Neburi-Bashi
To lick the tips of the chopsticks.
Nigiri-Bashi
To hold two sticks together as one would grasp a knife to attack.
Watashi-Bashi
To place chopsticks on top of the bowl.
Tataki-Bashi
To tap the chopsticks against the bowl to call someone.
Yoko-Bashi
To use two chopsticks held together as a spoon
Mayoi-Bashi
Wandering chopsticks over several foods without decision
Utsuri-Bashi
Changing the food you choose after you have touched a certain food.
Saguri-Bashi
Looking for contents in a soup with chopsticks.

Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. Only at funerals are chopsticks stuck into the rice that is put onto the altar.

Do not pass food with your chopsticks directly to somebody else's chopsticks. Only at funerals are the bones of the cremated body given in that way from person to person.

It is improper to wet chopsticks to a height of more than three centimeters. Food stains of a length between one and a half and three centimeters are judged acceptable.

Do not point with your chopsticks to something or somebody.

Do not move your chopsticks around in the air too much, nor play with them.


Kevin ()

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