Guide

How To Hold Chopsticks

Webster West

How to use chopsticks is a common anxiety, but theres no reason for it to be!

We’ve all been there: you’re out for dinner with people you don’t know too well. You’ve ordered the noodles (or the rice, or the ramen…) without even thinking about it and, when it arrives, you realise the only cutlery on the table in chopsticks.

If this scene is enough to bring on a stress-induced prickle of sweat down your spine, have no fear: you are absolutely in the right place.

Chopsticks often seem like a total uphill battle if you’re not too versed in their ways. Regardless of whether you’ve used them from a young age or not, no one’s born knowing how to use chopsticks; it must be learnt – and that includes feeling a bit gawky and self-conscious at first. We sat down with Ellen Chew, restauranteur and owner of Rasa Sayang in London’s Chinatown, to find out whether there are any tricks to holding chopsticks properly, as well as some tips and etiquette to help you along the way.

Method 1Method 1 of 3:Positioning the Chopsticks Correctly

  • Question Where can I get chopsticks? Caeiia Top Answerer Asian markets carry cheap ones that can look beautiful, and online stores carry them.
  • Question When I use chopsticks, the food keeps slipping out. Is it me or the food? Community Answer Certain foods are more difficult to eat with chopsticks than others. Things like noodles, rice, etc., will require you to scoop the food out, rather than “pinch” the food out. Keeping the narrow tips together will allow you to scoop the food in a similar fashion to a spoon. Keep practicing, youll get there.
  • Question How do I find a place to buy chopsticks? Community Answer Most Asian markets have them, and you should be able to find them online. If youre lucky, they may show up at a local flea market or thrift shop (though this is rare). Another option is to eat at an Asian restaurant, and then take a pair home with you; these are normally disposable, but they can last awhile if theyre good quality and you take care of them.

    • How to Hold Chopsticks and Move Them

    How To Hold Chopsticks

    Once you are able to hold both chopsticks, next you can try moving them. The upper chopstick should be supported by the first joint of the middle finger. When held correctly, the tips should be touching together, while the other parts are not in contact. In this state, move the upper chopstick up and down between the middle and index fingers of the right hand. This time, try not to move the bottom chopstick. If done correctly, the tips of the chopsticks should open and close. With all that said, heres an of the process!

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  • To determine what size chopsticks are best suited for your hand, measure the distance between your outstretched thumb and forefinger in centimeters, then multiply this measurement by 1.5. The number you get will tell you how long your ideal chopsticks should be, which could make practicing easier.[23] Thanks! Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • If you just can’t hold onto anything to save your life, consider swallowing your pride and picking up a pair of trainer chopsticks, which are connected at the top by a small plastic joint. Eating a few meals with these will give you a feel for the motion that the upper chopstick is supposed to make.[24] Thanks! Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
  • In Japan, its customary to hold chopsticks with your right hand, even if you happen to be left-handed. Thanks! Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0

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  • Smooth, round chopsticks like those made from plastic or metal are especially prone to rolling, sliding, and crossing over one another, so watch out. Thanks! Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
  • If you’re planning a visit to a place where chopsticks are the utensil of choice, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with other points of etiquette and taboos related to the use of chopsticks to avoid offending your hosts or the other diners around you. Thanks! Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

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    FAQ

    How do Beginners hold chopsticks?

    Have you ever wondered why some of us find using chopsticks difficult? Unlike western tableware, chopsticks require the use of 80-odd joints and more than 50 muscles in the shoulder, arm, hand and fingers. Chopsticks also require the use of lots of cranial nerves and builds excellent eye-hand coordination.

    Why is holding chopsticks so hard?

    How to use chopsticks
    • 1) Do not rub your chopsticks together. …
    • 2) Do not stick chopsticks into your food. …
    • 3) Do not pass food to another pair of chopsticks. …
    • 4) Do not use one chopstick. …
    • 5) Do not leave your chopsticks crossed on your bowl or the table. …
    • 6) Do not point with your chopsticks.

    What are 7 rules when using chopsticks?

    How to use chopsticks
    • 1) Do not rub your chopsticks together. …
    • 2) Do not stick chopsticks into your food. …
    • 3) Do not pass food to another pair of chopsticks. …
    • 4) Do not use one chopstick. …
    • 5) Do not leave your chopsticks crossed on your bowl or the table. …
    • 6) Do not point with your chopsticks.

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