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Getting a grip on these tricky utensils
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Chopsticks are the go-to utensil for much of the world, and in many restaurants, you might not have other options. Once you learn to wrangle ‘em, though, you’ll see that they’re a sensible and surprisingly agile way to get food from point A (the plate) to point B (your mouth). Allow us to open new culinary doors as we teach you to hold
and use chopsticks, how to approach certain dishes with them, and how to follow proper dining etiquette
as you chow down.
This article is based on an interview with our Japanese food specialist, Yoko Isassi, founder of Foodstory. Check out the full interview here.
Things You Should Know
- Rest one chopstick in the spot where your index finger and thumb connect at the base of your hand, supporting the center of the chopstick with your ring finger.
- Hold the other chopstick like a pen, supporting the back with your middle finger, the top with your index finger, and placing your thumb on the front side.
- Pinch your food gently but firmly with the chopsticks. Practice picking up peanuts or popcorn with the very tips to get a feel for them.
Steps
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Place the first chopstick where your index finger and thumb connect. Rest the thicker end of the chopstick in the crease between your thumb and pointer finger, where those fingers connect toward the base of your hand. [1] X Expert Source Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist Expert Interview. 30 August 2021. Support the chopstick with the end of your ring finger. [2] X Research source This is your “anchor” chopstick, and won’t move when you pick up food.- If it’s more comfortable, support the chopstick with your middle finger, rather than your ring finger. Remember, there are many ways to hold chopsticks, and no single way is the “right” way!
- Start by using wooden chopsticks or bamboo chopsticks , since the material is easier to grip than plastic or metal chopsticks.
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Grip the second chopstick with your middle, index finger, and thumb. Hold the second chopstick in much the same way you hold a pencil . Use your thumb to press the chopstick against the second knuckle of your pointer finger. Use the top knuckle of your pointer finger to support the chopstick from below. [3] X Research source Hold the chopstick toward the back end of it. This second chopstick is the one that moves. [4] X Expert Source Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.- Use your other hand to make sure the chopsticks are level with each other, or tap them downward on the table to even them out, which makes them easier to use and prevents accidental crossing when picking something up.
- If you’re having trouble holding both chopsticks at the same time, train with a set of connected starter chopsticks to help you get situated.
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Move the top chopstick up and down with your index and middle fingers. Use your index finger to “pinch” the chopstick, and use your middle finger to “push” it back open. Practice opening and closing the chopsticks like this until you get a feel for it. [5] X Research source As you do, try to keep your thumb stationary—it’s just there for support, not movement. Practice your moves by repeatedly touching both tips of the chopsticks together. This helps improve your accuracy and gives you a feel for the motion. [6] X Expert Source Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.- If it helps, move your hand up and down the chopstick, experimenting with levels of grip. Some find it easier to maneuver closer to the base, others further up.
- Experiment with different grips. If it’s more comfortable, use only the tip of your ring finger to support the bottom stick, or use only your thumb and pointer to hold the top chopstick. Whichever way works is the right way!
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Pick up food at a 45° angle. There’s no “correct” angle, but going at your food with your chopsticks close to parallel with the table helps grip your food and transport it safely to your plate—or your mouth! Go ahead and pinch that tasty bite securely but gently. [7] X Research source Once you have it steady, lift 'er up. If it feels unstable, put it down and try again.
- If you’re nervous about dropping your food, transport it with your free hand cupped beneath it. Better to catch it in your hand in case of a fall than let it drop to the floor.
- Practice picking up individual peanuts or popped popcorn kernels to improve your dexterity.
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Lift a bowl of rice closer to your mouth when eating. If a bowl of rice is placed in front of you and all you have are 2 small bamboo rods, you may feel like you're up a creek without a paddle. But it's perfectly acceptable (and normal, even) to lift the bowl of rice close to your mouth and work from there when eating rice with chopsticks . You won't look foolish, you'll look seasoned! [8] X Research source
- If you’re in Korea, though, look for a spoon, which is the socially acceptable way of eating rice in that region. And even in Japan, a spoon makes a smart alternative if you’re losing your chopstick battle with the rice.
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2Hold your chopsticks horizontally to grip noodles. When eating noodles with chopsticks , dip your chopsticks into the dish, then lift the noodles with the chopsticks parallel to the table, as though the noodles are clothes on a line. Then, don’t hesitate to slurp away! A fork might let you wrap noodles up into a single bite, but with chopsticks, it’s more about getting the noodles up to your mouth, then letting your mouth do the rest of the work. [9] X Expert Source Thuong Tan
Noodle Expert Expert Interview. 28 January 2021.- In many Asian countries, slurping is a way to express your enjoyment of the meal, like saying, “Compliments to the chef!”
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3Use your hands for most sushi . At an upscale or traditional sushi joint, your hands are the go-to utensil. [10] X Research source That said, it varies by sushi type. For rolls or nigiri (rice topped with fish), use your hands, since these tend to fall apart when gripped with chopsticks, which makes for an unhappy sushi chef. But for sashimi , or slices of fish, opt for the chops to keep your hands free of fishy smells. [11] X Research source
- Also, eat most sushi in one clean bite, unless the sushi is too large to do so. In that case, dispatch that sushi in as few bites as possible.
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Pick up shared food with the thicker end of your chopsticks. Often at Asian dining tables (whether at home or at a restaurant), plates of food are shared among the diners. But don’t just dive in with the ends of the chopsticks that you’ve already put in your mouth. Turn them around and pick up communal food with the unused ends and place the food on your plate. Then turn your chopsticks around again and eat as usual. [12] X Research source
- Or, use a public pair of serving chopsticks. These are usually found near their respective plates.
- Unlike a fork or a spoon, avoid inserting more than the ends past your lips, and definitely don’t lick food off of them.
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Place your chopsticks on a chopstick rest when not eating. Lay your chopsticks horizontally in front of your plate or bowl to avoid pointing them at other diners. Avoid placing them directly on the table, which might get the table a bit messy. If there’s no chopstick rest, place your chopsticks across the ridges of your plate or bowl, or rest them on a napkin or a wrapper. Also follow these common chopstick courtesies: [13] X Research source
- When opening or separating new chopsticks, do so under the table and parallel to the floor.
- Avoid spearing your food with the ends of your chopsticks. It might be tempting to get a grip on that slippery bit of fish, but it’s generally seen as impolite.
- Avoid pointing at people with your chopsticks. You wouldn’t jab your fork or knife at someone, would you?
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3Avoid passing food from chopstick to chopstick and other social taboos. Transferring food between chopsticks resembles a certain Japanese funeral ritual, and so it’s generally not a welcome sight at the dinner table. In addition, avoid crossing your chopsticks into the shape of an “X” when you set them down, which is a common signifier of death. [14] X Research source
- Also, avoid leaving your chopsticks upright in bowls of rice or other food, since this resembles upright incense and recalls somber funeral settings.
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Chopstick Cheat Sheet
Join the Discussion...
I love going out to eat sushi with friends, but I always feel so embarrassed fumbling around with my chopsticks. How are you even supposed to hol... Read More
Hold the chopsticks like you'd hold a pencil. Put one chopstick in the webbing between your index finger and thumb, and support it with your ring... Read More
I think I really had a breakthrough when I read that the only chopstick you move is the top one. Somehow that helped things click: the bottom one... Read More
Expert Q&A
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QuestionIs it okay if I don't hold them right? Am I going to offend guests?Thuong Tan is a Noodle Expert and the Founder of Noodelist, a food startup producing plant-based instant noodles. Thuong holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Marketing from Haaga-Helia, University of Applied Sciences, and an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from IFA Paris, Polimoda/Shanghai University. Noodelist’s mission is to produce premium plant-based moroheiya noodles that are nutrient-dense, texturally pleasing, and environmentally friendly.No, I really wouldn't worry about that. I hold my chopsticks a little funny too, and I've been eating noodles for years!
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QuestionShould I ask for a fork if I'm a little embarrassed about messing up with chopsticks?Thuong Tan is a Noodle Expert and the Founder of Noodelist, a food startup producing plant-based instant noodles. Thuong holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Marketing from Haaga-Helia, University of Applied Sciences, and an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from IFA Paris, Polimoda/Shanghai University. Noodelist’s mission is to produce premium plant-based moroheiya noodles that are nutrient-dense, texturally pleasing, and environmentally friendly.You can! If chopsticks are going to keep you from enjoying your food, then just ask for a fork. There's nothing wrong with that. But honestly, I'd say you should just go for it with the chopsticks. Don't be nervous. Nobody is going to expect you to be a chopstick pro if you didn't grow up with them!
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QuestionHow do you eat with chopsticks if you're a total beginner?Thuong Tan is a Noodle Expert and the Founder of Noodelist, a food startup producing plant-based instant noodles. Thuong holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Marketing from Haaga-Helia, University of Applied Sciences, and an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from IFA Paris, Polimoda/Shanghai University. Noodelist’s mission is to produce premium plant-based moroheiya noodles that are nutrient-dense, texturally pleasing, and environmentally friendly.Depending on where you are, you can take a small bit of paper and a rubber band to create a kind of joint. These are typically given to kids, but they're great if you're brand new to chopsticks. They really let you get a feel for them in your hand.
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Tips
- While it may seem easier at first to hold the chopsticks near their tips, holding them further back means that they are closer to parallel, which helps to scoop food (like rice) from below. You'll also be able to pick up larger pieces of food.Thanks
- As additional etiquette, avoid picking your teeth with your chopsticks, drumming them against the table or plates, or picking through communal dishes for a certain bite.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- If you don't have any chopsticks with you to practice with, but you REALLY want to practice, you can always use a pair of Grandma's knitting needles or a pair of pencils, and then practice with random objects of all kinds of shapes. This way, you can practice on and off the table and almost anywhere, too.
- Also, avoid rubbing the chopsticks together, unless they’re particularly splintered. This might be interpreted as disrespect, or a way of saying that a restaurant isn’t upscale enough for good chopsticks.
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References
- ↑ Yoko Isassi. Japanese Food Specialist. Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLtePBrZzXg&t=73s
- ↑ https://kokoro-jp.com/culture/1699/
- ↑ Yoko Isassi. Japanese Food Specialist. Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.
- ↑ https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/basic-chopstick-etiquette-how-to-use-chopsticks-in-formal-situations/
- ↑ Yoko Isassi. Japanese Food Specialist. Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.
- ↑ https://foodandnutrition.org/from-the-magazine/chopsticks/
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-eat-korean-food
- ↑ Thuong Tan. Noodle Expert. Expert Interview. 28 January 2021.
- ↑ https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/how-to-use-chopsticks-like-a-tokyoite
- ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/columns/the-foodist/article/sushi-etiquette-101
- ↑ https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/how-to-use-chopsticks-like-a-tokyoite
- ↑ https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/how-to-use-chopsticks-like-a-tokyoite
- ↑ https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/how-to-use-chopsticks-like-a-tokyoite
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To eat with chopsticks, first place one chopstick between your dominant index finger and your thumb. Curl your ring finger and rest the middle of the chopstick on top to balance it. Then, place the second chopstick above the first chopstick, in between your index finger and thumb. Rest the upper chopstick on top of your middle finger, and use your thumb and middle finger to grip it tighter than the lower chopstick. To pick up food with the chopsticks, use your middle and index fingers to move the upper chopstick around the food. Apply pressure with your index finger on top of the upper chopstick to grip the food so you can lift it off of your plate. Keep reading if you want to learn proper chopstick etiquette!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I have an Asian friend, and recently she invited me to her house for dinner. I was nervous because I didn't know much about how to eat with chopsticks. Thanks to this article I am getting pretty good at using chopsticks! Tysm Yoko Isassi! :)." ..." more
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"I have an Asian friend, and recently she invited me to her house for dinner. I was nervous because I didn't know much about how to eat with chopsticks. Thanks to this article I am getting pretty good at using chopsticks! Tysm Yoko Isassi! :)."
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"Without detouring from your instruction - not even once in an attempt to see if there was another way to use them - I found myself using chopsticks. I have embarrassed myself on many occasions and in many social situations; this led to my feeling stupid,awkward and angry. Your instructions have put this to bed for me now. I am genuinely grateful for the confidence you have given me, which has inspired me to upgrade my current chopsticks. Thank you so much."
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"I finally got it! Thank you so much for the visuals, clear instructions and hilarious writing. I loved when you said, "You may feel like the Beast during his dinner with Belle." That's exactly how I felt, but I did it! Thank you."
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"This article was extremely helpful! I am teaching people how to use chopsticks for a speech at school, and this was a lifesaver. It was difficult at first, but now I am a pro. I recommend this article to all."
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"I am Chinese, and I think your article useful, but I usually use the ring finger to make the first chopstick stable. The index, middle fingers and thumb help to manipulate the other one. "
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