All About Chopsticks and some basic eating etiquette

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All About Chopsticks(and some basic eating
etiquette)

• NCTA 2007
• Wooster, Ohio

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Fun facts about chopsticks Hungry? Want to
impress friends, parents, or dates? In this
exercise, not only will you learn how to use
those amazing chopsticks, you will also pick up
some interesting facts about them. What a deal!

• Almost all people in East and many in Southeast
  Asia uses chopsticks to eat their food. That
  means, over 1,400,000,000 people use them each
  day!
• The exact origins of chopsticks are unknown, but
  the very first ones were probably little more
  than a pair of twigs.
• Chopsticks were definitely in use by the Shang
  dynasty in China. (1766 BCE - 1122 BCE)
• In Chinese they are called kuàizi, in Korean
  jotkarak, and in Japanese hashi.
• Many chopsticks will have paintings or carvings
  to make them more attractive.

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Using Chopsticks - step 1Using chopsticks is not
hard. Children in East Asia start using them when
they are 4 to 5 years old. If they can do it, so
can you!

• Put the bottom chopstick deep against the thumb
  and rest on the ring fingers top joint.
• Try to place the blunt end of the chopstick near
  the thumb.

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Using Chopsticks - step 2A common mistake is to
use too much muscle and strength when using
chopsticks. Use chopsticks as you would your
fingers.

• Hold the top chopstick like a pencil, but keep
  the thumb straight.
• Line up the ends of the chopsticks so that the
  ends touch each other.
• Dont hold them too tight!

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Using Chopsticks - step 3You can practice by
picking up anything small. If you want a REAL
challenge, try picking up an ice cube from a
drink. Good luck!

• When grabbing food, use your forefinger to push
  the top chopstick down.
• HINT the bottom chopstick never moves. Now eat!

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Different counties, different chopsticksNot all
chopsticks are the same. Each country in East
Asia uses very different chopsticks.

• Chinese are longer sticks made of different
  materials that taper to a blunt end.
• Chinese chopsticks may have pictures or carvings
  on them.
• These chopsticks are resting on a special stand
  to keep them from touching the table.

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Different counties, different chopsticksNot all
chopsticks are the same. Each country in East
Asia uses very different chopsticks.

• Japanese short to medium length sticks that
  taper to a pointed end.
• Japanese chopsticks are traditionally made of
  wood and are lacquered.

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Different counties, different chopsticksNot all
chopsticks are the same. Each country in East
Asia uses very different chopsticks.

• Korean medium-length metal rods that taper to a
  square blunt end, traditionally made of brass or
  silver.
• Many Korean metal chopsticks are ornately
  decorated in the untapered end.
• Only Koreans consistently use both chopsticks and
  spoons when eating.

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Not just chopsticks

• It is very common when eating in someones home
  for them to provide a little chopstick rest or
  stand.
• When you are not using your chopsticks, lay them
  down on the rest, pointed end touching the rest.
• Chopstick rests come in many shapes and colors.

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Chopstick etiquette

• Chopsticks are not used to stab or pierce food.
  Not only is this very rude, it means you arent
  very good at using chopsticks.
• Chopsticks arent a fork, so dont use them like
  a fork.
• Exceptions include tearing larger items apart
  such as vegetables and kimchi.

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Chopstick etiquette

• Whatever you do, do NOT stick your chopsticks in
  your rice or any other food. This is one of the
  WORST things you can do.
• Why? Because this is commonly done only at
  funerals, as a way to offer food to the dead.
• When done, put the chopsticks on the rest or on
  the table.

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Chopstick etiquette by country

• China
• In Chinese culture, it is normal to have your
  lips touching the edge of the rice bowl and using
  chopsticks to push rice directly into the mouth.
• Chinese traditionally eat rice from a small bowl
  held in the left hand. The rice bowl is raised to
  the mouth and the rice pushed into the mouth
  using the chopsticks.

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Chopstick etiquette by country

• Japan
• Never pass food directly from your own chopsticks
  to someone else's chopsticks. Japanese people
  will always offer their plate to transfer it
  directly, or pass a person's plate along if the
  distance is great. Transferring directly is how
  bones are passed as part of funeral rites.
• Always place the pointed ends of the chopsticks
  on a chopstick rest when the chopsticks are not
  being used.
• Never leave chopsticks crossed on a table, as
  this symbolizes death.

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Chopstick etiquette by country

• Korea
• Koreans consider it rude to pick the rice bowl
  off of the table and eat from the bowl.
• Never use the blunt handle end to touch food.
• Unlike other chopstick cultures, Koreans use a
  spoon for their rice and soup, and chopsticks for
  most other things at the table. Traditionally,
  the spoon is relatively flat, has a round head,
  and a straight stick handle - very good for
  eating soup.
• Do not pick up any food bowls and eat from them.
  Unlike the rice eaten in China, Korean steamed
  rice can be easily picked up with chopsticks,
  although eating rice with a spoon is more
  acceptable and easier.

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