Comments on: Chopstick bad manners in oneself and others

By: edsamac

edsamac — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:10:45 +0000

Haha, this brings back memories. I committed myself to eat properly with chopsticks, but I have to admit that I only end up inadvertently committing #1 in Q1 when there is no chopstick rest to place my chopsticks. Besides that, the responses seem rather authentic.

However, when it comes to handling chopsticks, I believe I’m one that you could hardly call “graceful”. Some of my Japanese and Chinese friends criticize my handling, but I snub them away by pointing out their flaws in basic chopstick etiquette. Thanks for the good read.

By: Chinese John

Chinese John — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:01:29 +0000

Interesting… Seems like chop stick manners are similiar to American fork and spoon manners… think about it…

and no one, not even the mighty Oshin can eat American Uncle Ben’s rice without doing the kaki bashi!!!

kaki bashi: Holding a bowl to your mouth and shovelling food in

By: eugene

eugene — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:38:45 +0000

I don’t know about the Japanese, but for most Koreans and Chinese, there’s a right way to hold chopsticks and then there are numerous wrong ways to hold chopsticks. I know several older people who will immediately form opinions on your upbringing based on how and how well you use your chopsticks.

By: Wildchild

Wildchild — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:35:55 +0000

OK, here’s a question, wondering what the Japanese think of THIS…. While in the military in Japan, I was sent to live in Korea for several months. While there, I met a friend who learned a different method of using chopsticks while in Vietnam. He taught me to put one chopstick between thumb and forefinger, and the other pinched between the knuckles at the top and bottom of my middle and ring fingers.

This is actually an incredibly easy, dexterous way to use chopsticks, because it lets you move them in three dimensions (try it!), versus merely back and forth when using the standard method.

My question is whether using the chopsticks this way in Japan would be viewed as mannerless–sort of like holding a fork in a fist?

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:34:12 +0000

It might have been good to include references to why things are bad manners or bad luck, like the superstitions or associations that relate. I was told once (very sternly) that sticking chopsticks up in a bowl of rice is one of the worst table manners possible. Why? It’s the traditional way the Japanese put food in front of a grave to honor the dead.

It’s helpful to know what’s bad, but sometimes it’s critical to know why.

By: Bad Chopstick Manners in Japan

Bad Chopstick Manners in Japan — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:35:09 +0000

[…] enough, whatjapanthinks has summarized this interesting survey from goo Ranking that gathered views on bad chopstick habits […]

By: Dodgeblogium » Blog Archive » More Chopstick Etiquette Than You Can Shake A Stick At

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:20:06 +0000

[…] going to Japan; but that’s now off, for fear that I’d accidentally commit some ghastly faux pas that would require me to perform ritual seppuku in front of the Emperor or […]

By: Karine

Karine — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:41:59 +0000

I saw my Japanese friends both doing “watashi bashi” and also playing with food with chopsticks, and not once. Also pointing at food with hashi. I guess those rules are for older generation Japanese, or some official meetings. I think younger (about 25 y.o) Japanese don’t really care for those as long you don’t stick the chopsticks into your nostrils

By: Richard Davies

Richard Davies — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:27:13 +0000

I understand that using a chopstick in each hand is very bad form.

By: tarteaucitron

tarteaucitron — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:40:19 +0000

So there’s actually a name to each chopstick infraction?

#16 is fine even if you’re at the southern chinese dinner table — as long as you say “the boat next to you” when you flip the fish.

BTW if you happen to be Chinese, you probably also do #10 all the time.