Chopsticks etiquette

[Wasabista]

Following on Housetek's thread on Japanese etiquette, I thought I'd post a list (with the help of Jim Breen's WWJDIC site) of all the ways you can make yourself look like a hayseed using chopsticks. These things are dangerous, treat them with the caution they deserve.

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移り箸 utsuribashi (n) (See 渡り箸) using one's chopsticks to jump from side dish to side dish without pausing to eat rice in between

銜え箸 kuwaebashi (n) holding one's chopsticks in one's mouth

探り箸 saguribashi (n) using one's chopsticks to find a food one likes by rummaging in one's dish, pot, etc.

刺し箸 sashibashi (n) skewering one's food with a chopstick in order to pick it up

せせり箸 seseribashi (n) poking one's food around using one's chopsticks; playing with one's food with one's chopsticks

空箸 sorabashi (n) touching a food with one's chopsticks, then removing them without taking it

揃え箸 soroebashi (n) aligning one's chopsticks by tapping them on the table, a dish, etc.

叩き箸 tatakibashi (n) ringing one's chopsticks against a dish (in order to request seconds, etc.)

涙箸 namidabashi (n) dripping liquid (soup, sauce, etc.) from the tips of one's chopsticks [W]

握り箸 nigiribashi (n) grasping one's chopsticks the same way one might hold a walking stick

舐り箸 neburibashi (n) licking one's chopsticks

惑い箸 madoibashi (n) (See 迷い箸) hovering one's chopsticks back and forth over side dishes, when trying to choose which one to take

迷い箸 mayoibashi (n) (See 惑い箸) hovering one's chopsticks back and forth over side dishes, when trying to choose which one to take

寄せ箸 yosebashi (n) drawing a dish towards oneself using one's chopsticks

渡し箸 watashibashi (n) resting one's chopsticks across the top of one's bowl

渡り箸 wataribashi (n) (See 移り箸) using one's chopsticks to jump from side dish to side dish without pausing to eat rice in between

[Wasabista]

Almost forgot one of the worst. Never pass anything from one pair of chopsticks to another. This maneuver is reserved strictly for passing the bones of the recently cremated down a line of mourners and into an urn!

Similarly, chopsticks are only stuck into a bed of rice at a funeral meal which is why, as Housetek says, it's a no-no anywhere else.

[Fisher]

I've done all of these when I was kid, haha...
and my father gave me a good beaten of course...terrible...

[godwine]

There is actually another one, I am not sure the proper term for it. Here, locally in Canada, there are a lot of Chinese operated Japanese restaurant, and naturally they attract Chinese customer more due to the language preferences. A lot of Chinese start out by splitting the chopstick and rubbing the 2 to "remove splinters".

My uncle (Japanese) told me this is a very very rude thing to do, and Japanese people just doesn't do that. But however, somewhere somehow, this was pass on to the Canadian Chinese as a Japanese cuisine etiqutte, and everyone does that thinking that they are more "Japanese" since its the "etiqutte".

[Harold]

I did yosebashi without even knowing I did it. My friend saw me do it and told me to never do it again because it's bad manners.

PS isn't the last one is wataribashi, not watashibashi?

[Abernachy]

My god...I got a lot of etiquette to learn.

WAIT...I HAVE AN IDEA!!! I'll bring a fork and a knife with me.

[Philipf]

揃え箸 soroebashi (n) aligning one's chopsticks by tapping them on the table, a dish, etc.

涙箸 namidabashi (n) dripping liquid (soup, sauce, etc.) from the tips of one's chopsticks [W]

I dont think I can avoid these 2. First of all, my chopstick skill is pretty limited and they tend to slide....can I use my other hand to correct them?

And as for the second, I cant eat a normal meal with a knife and fork without dripping it all over me, and I've been using them for 20 years

[Wasabista]

Originally Posted by Harold

I did yosebashi without even knowing I did it. My friend saw me do it and told me to never do it again because it's bad manners.

PS isn't the last one is wataribashi, not watashibashi?

You're right, I'll correct it

By the way, there have to be more. Another one i hitozashibashi, pointing at people (or anything else) using chopsticks. Of course we have the same rule regarding forks, spoons and (especially!) knives.

[Firebird]

Originally Posted by Wasabista

揃え箸 soroebashi (n) aligning one's chopsticks by tapping them on the table, a dish, etc.

I also wonder how to do this when you are not so good with chopsticks, because i do it sometimes by silently tapping them in my rice bowl.

[Henbaka]

Originally Posted by Philipf

I dont think I can avoid these 2. First of all, my chopstick skill is pretty limited and they tend to slide....can I use my other hand to correct them?

And as for the second, I cant eat a normal meal with a knife and fork without dripping it all over me, and I've been using them for 20 years

Try a spoon