An overview of chopstick gaffes that should be avoided when eating in Japan.
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<p>From bad manners to taboo, there are some ways of using chopsticks that are considered against dining etiquette. These various acts are known as <em>tenancy</em>are listed below.
(Listed in Japanese syllabic order)
🥢 and yes agebashi
Raising chopsticks above the height of one’s mouth.
🥢wash sticks Arabashi
To clean chopsticks in soup or beverages.
🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢 Awasebashi (also known as 拾ی箸 hiroibashi or chopsticks Hashiwatashi)
!!! (Serious) To pass food from one pair of chopsticks to another. This is prohibited due to the practice of picking up the remains after cremation and passing them between chopsticks.
🥢发用箸 ukebashi
Holding one’s bowl for a longer period of time than holding chopsticks.
🥢 thank you Utsuribashi (also known as 渡り箸 Wataribashi)
Keep placing the chopsticks in the same side dish. It is proper etiquette to eat the rice first, then eat with a side dish, eat the rice again and then eat with a different side dish.
🥢うら箸 urabashi (Also known as そら箸 sorabashi)
Picking up food with chopsticks and then putting it back without picking it up.
🥢 ok Ogamibashi
Holding chopsticks between both hands when expressing thanks for food. Holding any object in your hands while praying is considered rude and holding chopsticks while praying is prohibited. ItadakimasuA phrase said before eating, giving thanks for the life of food.
Ogamibashi. (© Pixta)
😢 oshikomibashi (also known as 込み箸 Komibashi)
Using chopsticks to push food deeper into one’s mouth.
🥢落とし箸 otoshibashi
Dropping chopsticks while eating.
🥢 return the chopsticks kashibashi (also known as 逆さ箸 sakasabashi)
Moving chopsticks around while serving food so that the tip of the chopstick touching one’s mouth does not touch the food.
🥢yes yes kakibashi (Also known as かき込み箸 kakikomibashi)
Putting your mouth on the edge of the pot and pushing food in with chopsticks. It can also mean using chopsticks to scratch someone’s head or other body parts.
🥢Thank you! kamibashi
Chopsticks for cutting.
🥢 once again Kuwebashi
Taking the tips of chopsticks into your mouth.
🥢こじ箸 Kojibashi (Also known as ほじり箸 Hojiribashi)
Using chopsticks to pick something out from the bottom of a dish.
🥢It’s great Kosuribashi
wipe waribashi (disposable chopsticks) together to remove splinters.
🥢 ok saguaribashi
Using chopsticks to move food around to find something.
🥢 刺し箸 Shashibashi (also known as 突き箸 tsukibashi)
Using chopsticks to prick and skewer food.
🥢指し箸 Shashibashi
Pointing at people and things using chopsticks.
🥢 I am sure jikabashi
Using one’s own chopsticks instead of chopsticks to pick up food from a large serving dish.
🥢透かし箸 sukashibashi
After eating the top half of the fish, continue eating by poking holes in between the bones instead of removing them using chopsticks.
🥢せせり箸 Seseribashi
Using chopsticks to move food around.
🥢It’s true soroebashi
Holding the chopsticks together and tapping them on a dish or table top to align the ends.
🥢たたき箸 Tatakibashi
To make a sound by tapping chopsticks on a dish.
🥢stand Tatebashi (also known as 突き立て箸 tsukitatebashi仏箸 hotokebashi)
!!! (Serious) Holding chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. This is prohibited, because this is how rice is presented as a Buddhist funeral offering.
🥢Different sticks chigaibashi
Using chopsticks made of different materials (for example, one made of wood and the other made of bamboo).
🥢It’s great Chigiribashi
Holding one chopstick in each hand and using them like a knife and fork to tear or cut food into smaller pieces.
🥢調伏箸 Chobukubashi
Place the chopsticks on the table with their ends pointing to the right.
Chobukubashi. (© Pixta)
🥢涙箸 Namidabashi
Let sauce or soup drip from the tip of chopsticks while eating. Namida Means “tears.”
🥢握り箸 nigiribashi
Holding both chopsticks in a fist.
Nigiribashi. (© Pixta)
🥢It’s great neburibashi
To lick chopsticks.
🥢橋箸 hashibashi (Also known as 渡し箸 Watashibashi)
To show that the dish is done, place the chopsticks on top of the dish like a bridge. but chopsticks should be kept Hashioki (Chopstick rest).
🥢yes yes hanebashi
Using chopsticks to push aside food that one does not want to eat.
🥢It’s a good idea Furiyagebashi
Raising the tips of the chopsticks higher than the back of your hand.
🥢 ok furibashi
To scoop out small pieces of soup, sauce, or food from the tip of chopsticks.
🥢 ok Madoibashi (also known as 迷ی箸 myoibashi)
Hovering your chopsticks over the utensils, not being able to decide which food to eat.
🥢 回し箸 Mawashibashi
To stir the soup with chopsticks.
🥢 Very nice Mogikuwe
When stirring a utensil, placing chopsticks next to your mouth instead of on the table.
🥢もぎ箸 Mogibashi
Eating by biting the grains of rice stuck to chopsticks.
🥢 holding sticks Mochibashi
Holding both chopsticks and dish in one hand at the same time.
🥢楊枝箸 Yojibashi
Using chopsticks as toothpicks.
🥢横箸 yokobashi
Lining up chopsticks together and using them like spoons to scoop out food.
🥢寄せ箸 Yosebashi
To pull a dish towards yourself using chopsticks.
(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)