Do you know how to use a pair of Chopstick?

Well. It's interesting isn't it? Most of us chinese learn it since childhood and got used to it at early age. But some of us are not holding it in the correct way though. For grown-up people, it appears to be more difficult. But after some practice with patience, it will finally works. Do you teach your friend on how to use it? Hope it would be an fun experience for them to learn using it. Thanks for your response sanzil201!

Well, being a chinese, I have been familiar with chopstick since childhood. At younger age, I use it in an incorrect way. It looks like a 'cross', or a pair of scissor. It's a common mistake made by kids. But when I grow up, I finally mastered it. It should look like a pair of forceps instead of a pair of scissor. By using the correctly, you could almost pick up any food easily, even the noodles. Thanks for your response lilaclady!

Dry rice is cooked the same way as sticky rice I guess only thing is that we drain off the water completely after the rice has boiled so that each grain of rice is completely dry and separate from each other. Let’s see maybe next time I go to a Chinese restaurant, I would ask for mixed sticky rice…is that correct or do you have any special name for it?

Hi Sudiptacallingu, it makes me smile when you said the chopsticks have been used as drum sticks. It must have been interesting. It's not as difficult as you think. But most of we chinese practise it since childhood. For the rice, we don't really pick them up most of the time. But since it's sticky, it's not impossible to pick the rice in a lump. However, most of the time, it's used in 'spade' mode to shove the rice from the bowl into the mouth. When doing the shoving, the bowl need to be held in the air and near to our mouth. Thanks for your response Sudiptacallingu!

That's right. Different culture have different way of cooking the rice. I am curious on how the rice is cooked in the 'dry' way too. Hope you are going to make the trip to china happen :) Olympic is around the corner. You might want to consider that :) But you do not need to visit china necessarily. A visit to a genuine chinese restaurant will serve the purpose already.

I observed that too and that's why I started this discussion, after seeing my friends of other races could master the skill of using the chopsticks. Although some of them are not holding it in the correct way, but I am still impressed by them. That's right, most Chinese use chopstick since childhood and I am the same as well. It's an excellent tool for noodles, mee and bee-hoon. You are right, the chopstick is not designed for soup What I usually do is dip it in the soup and taste it by licking on the chopstick Thanks for your response!

In fact, I am not that observant. I am a gluton and my friends always tease at me, because I usually indulge myself in the food that I am enjoying. I look around only after I am done with it. . But after the meal is finished, I like to observe the people around, especially who sit at nearby table. That's how I found that people from other races know how to use chopstick quite well. The stainless steel chopstick from Korea is not bad too, as a souvenier. I bought it for my parents and friends, after I am back from my company trip to Seoul. I would like to see the ivory chopstick if got chance, but I think it's not good to own it. It's against my will, because by buying ivory product, it's like indirectly encouraging the proaching of elephants, one of the animals that are high risk of extinction. But the ivory chopstick might save our life because it could be used to test for poisnous content in the food.

Hi dear, you are really an observant guy who has noticed that other races are skillful in using chopstick when eating food. This shows that you are not a greedy type who indulges only in eating without aware of what is happening around you. Other than practical usage certain chopsticks are designed in the form of craft which are really attractive. They could be valuable item for collection and souvenir as well. I know that the ivory chopsticks are quite expensive and can be used as a tester for poison. The chopstick will turn black if in contact with poisonous food. Would you like to carry one to avoid food poisoning Happy posting and enjoy eating food with chopstick.

Your dad must be a kind and patient father, who taught you using the chopsticks. Well, it's a totally different experience to take chinese/korean/japanese cuisine with chopsticks, compared to using fork and knife. Those who have tried it will know. ;) Thanks again and have a nice day!

Hi marababe. I start learning when I was 5 or 6 years old too. But I am not holding it the right way. When I had grown up, then only I correct my style of holding it. It took me few years before I finally hold it in the correct way. Glad to know that you are pretty 'good' at it as well. Yeah, many people claim that, they feel more like eating chinese/korean/japanese food when using chopstick. Thanks for your response!

I guess my dad really taught me well, huh. LOL. :) I enjoy using chopsticks when I eat chinese/japanese food. I don't really like to use spoon,fork or knife with these cuisines. :) Cheers!

It's interesting to know that you brought the chopstick home each time you have chinese food in the restaurant Because we always use the chopstick and never thought of bringing it home. It's not difficult to use. But to use it in the correct way, you might need more familiarization. If you hold it wrongly, it looks like a pair of scissor. If you hold it correctly, it looks like a forceps. Chopstick is very useful for noodles and noodle-like food. Thanks for your response julyteen!

chopsticks here is disposable. i customer 1 chopstick it's up to them if they use it or bring it if not it will be sell into another customer who paid that already. so much better if we bring it than allow the food change to re-sale it again.

Hi julyteen, I know that those are disposable chopsticks mentioned by you earlier. It's very common here too. But we don't bring back the disposable one back too . No offence, just want to let you know that the people here do not have such practice. Sorry for the confusion. The seller here will usually throw away even if the disposable chopsticks are not unwrapped.

Thanks for doing that. And I hope you got some basic idea how to hold the chopstick in the right way. I have attached a photo showing how to hold the chopstick. I forgot the final step. You need to rest your thumb on the 2nd chopstick as well. Enjoy and have fun!

Well, your wish is granted. I have created a set of simple instructions as below. Hope it helps You start by holding the 1st chopstick. Stretch out the 2nd and 3rd finger, curl in the 4th and 5th finger and your thumb. It will looks like 'peace' gesture. Place the first stick across your hand, rest it between u-shape gap of 2nd/3rd finger, and also rest on the tip of 4th finger. Then place the 2nd chopstick in between 2nd and 3rd finger (near to their tip). It's like you are 'cutting' the 2nd chopstick with your fingers. Maneuver the 2nd stick with your 2nd and 3rd finger to pick the food. Practice makes perfect, and I really hope it helps. Thanks for your response pitstop!

Thanks for those instructions - am gonna print them out and try it!

I see, seems like you like Chinese food a lot, since you always visited the Chinese Restaurant. Using chopsticks for noodles is really a different experience. How about you give it a try next time you visit the Chinese Restaurant next time? Once you get used to it, you will definitely like it. All the best and have a nice day!

That's cute! I have never seen chopstick with such lovely mascot on it. I think, as a little girl at the age of 10, you must be elated to receive such adorable gift. Besides, it's a pair of chopstick suitable for kids, because it helps to keep it together. Eating noodles with chopstick is the most suitable and comfortable (provided that you know how to use it) way to enjoy it. So, that's why you feel different Thanks for your response diansinta and have a nice day!

You are right. Exposure and the need of using will affect how familiar you are with the chopstick. I think if you are exposed more to people are using it consistently, then you might pick it up faster. So, I guess you seldom visit Asian food restaurant. Thanks for your response elisa812!

Glad that you have tried it. Practice makes perfect. You might need someone who know how to use to show you. In such a way, you will learn faster. You won't regret it once you have learned how to use it. Trust me :) Thanks for your response by the way!

You might need to look for the guide on how to use it. I suppose it's abundant online. Keep on trying, may be a person who know how to use it, might show you the faster way of learning it. Good luck in your quest in learning to use a pair of chopstick. Thanks for your response!

Actually, you need to use it like a 'spade' to eat the rice. It's not necessary to pick up the rice with the chopstick, but just shove the rice into the mouth, with the chopstick hold together parallel. For soup, it's impossible. What I can do, is dipping the chopstick into the soup and test it in mouth LoL. Thanks for your response jerzgirl!

I do that sometimes too. I mean I do not use chopstick all the time. For some food like western style dish, I still prefer using fork/knife/spoon. But for noodles, I would like to use chopstick very much. Thanks for your response crixiegreen!

Start learning from young would be much easier. I couldn't remember when I first use the chopsticks. It's like about the age of 5 or 6. I think it's good to know how to use a pair of chopsticks, isn't it? I am glad that all members of your family know how to use it too. I just use a pair of chopsticks for my lunch just a moment before I make this comment However, I do not use chosticks for every meal. Thanks for your response chiyosan!

It's good that you got a chance to learn from your Taiwan friend. No worry, you might just need some practice before you could pick things up steadily with a pair of chopstick. I have uploaded a photo showing the way of holding the chopstick and some simple explanation. Hope it gives you some idea on how to improve it. http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1933343.aspx Thanks for your response whywiki!

Once you have the intention, you can work your way faster to achieve faster. Nothing could stop a determined person from getting what he wants. I have uploaded a photo on how to hold a chopstick and some brief instructions too. Hope this will help. I like the Korean style chopstick most. They are silver in colour and look shinny. http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1933343.aspx What you need is practice. Good luck and thanks for your response!

I am glad that you know how to use a pair of chopsticks. Family gathering is very important, although some take it for granted. It will strengthen the relationship and bond with our family members. My parents used to bring me along to gathering with our relatives. Through these family gathering, I have the chance to play with my cousin sisters and cousin brothers. Even when we have grown up, we are still in contact, although we rarely have chance to have gathering events nowadays. Well, I think your husband should be doing good with chopsticks now. Thanks for your response dhangski!

I have the same feeling too. I mean, that's also why I am surprised that a lot of non-asian know how to use chopsticks too. It's good though, that these unique utensils is known world wide. So that I can find it in every corner of the world when I travel abroad. LoL. Just kidding. Right, stuffing a pair of plastic or wooden chopstick would be the most handy and lightest cutlery that you can carry in your traveling bag. Thanks for your response!

It's absolutely all right. Not everyone is perfect. But I am glad that you know using it at least. It might seem slow but more practice will allow you to be more familiar with it and thus you could start eating with smoother pace. Hope you can continue to improve the skill and you will find that it's really enjoying to take your meal with a pair of chopstick. Thanks for your response fluffysue!