Do you know how to use a pair of Chopstick?

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!

Glad that you love chinese food. By having chinese meal often, you should have a lot of chances using the chopstick You will need some training in order to master the skill though. Btw, I didn't know that there are a very large Chinese population in Ontario. Well I suppose that you will a wide variety of chinese food over there, then. Thanks for your sharing cher913!

I am glad that you enjoy the chinese food and using the chopstick as well. It's not easy for those who use it the first time. But after some handling, you will that it has some advantage over other cutlery. First, you can take the food without having holes (poked by the fork). Besides, you can save your time and effort twisting the noodles around the forks. LoL. Thanks for your response teka44.

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!

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.

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.

Yeah, it’s really a great fun to watch other customers who indulge in eating when we are chatting with our friends after having our meal. It’s true that we would pay more attention to those non Chinese customers who are using chopsticks. We always pleased to see their appreciation for Chinese cultures. Besides they do enjoy Chinese tea while having their foods.

Really I do discourage people to use ivory chopsticks as ivory is a part of the animal. Ivory chopsticks are not popular because they are extremely expensive. I have a few pairs of wooden chopstick with beautiful carving and look very cute. All of them are gifts from my friends. I keep them as part of my collections.
posting and take care.

I am glad to see people from other races to use the chopstick too. Because they are not resisting it and appreciate its usefulness. It's true that, observing other customers after meal is enjoyable.

It's good that you keep a collection of intricate chopstick. I only have the stainless steel chopstick so far. I am not good at taking care of things and that's why I do not keep things in collection. I will lost them or damaged them easily.

Great! That's not bad! Glad that you know how to use it! Well for people who are not so familiar with chopstick, it really need some time before you finish your meal. It's excellent for noodle and noodle-like food. But as what the other responder pointed out, it's not suitable for drinking soup In fact, once you have truly mastered the skill. Using chopstick for noodle is much faster than using other cutlery. Thanks for your response hiccup!

As you would know chopsticks can be used like a shovel with rice, hold bowl close and scoop/Flick into your mouth.

I like food and all cultures so I do not have any trouble with what they eat or do not eat with.

Some Cultures use their hand (right, and use a type o flat bread to scoop food up with, (other hand is the hand used for nature calls of the body and that hand is soiled to eat food with).

One of the reasons the right hand was cut of some thieves of the same culture, so they ate with a soiled hand for the rest of their life.

Ya, I know that chopsticks could be used as shovel to feed rice into our mouth. I used to do that too, especially when I am having meal in chinese restaurant. Glad to know that you are a open-minded person who like all culture. Malays and Indians in my country practice eating with their hands. I didn't know that punishment of cutting away the right hand of the thief is to let him eating with soiled hand with the rest of his life. This is new to me indeed.

The cutting of the right hand is in some cultures but which ones I do not know.

Cutting of hands and feet - Islam in action
"As to the thief, Male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of ... Then he said: Cut off his hand. So his (right) hand was cut off. ...
www.apostatesofislam.com/media/handcutting.htm - 21k


Introduction
Cutting of Hands and Feet is a cruel insane Islamic punishment given to people who steal. This punishment was ordered by the "merciful" Allah and practiced by the "Holy" Prophet.
Besides Quran 5:33 and 5:38, many hadiths including Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim give proof that cutting of hands was ordered by Mohammed, for example:
Book 38, Number 4396:
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
A thief was brought to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him). He said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Apostle of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his hand. So his (right) hand was cut off.

Well, I have read similar information. Because muslims is the majority in our country so it's not uncommon to learn a little bit about these. But one thing I didn't know that the punishment is to cut the right hand (to be specific) I thought any will serve the purpose to stop him/her from stealing next time. Thanks for the additional information hiccup!

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.

you didn't get my point we only brought the chopstick at home if it we don't used it during eating, if it is already unwrapped we leave it in the table. bringing some stuff in the house is for fun, you usually caught this did by the younger people. if you are serious you can't take the faces of many people watching you while you bring the chopstick. LOL

if i am alone i won't do this. LOL

Well, I see. Sorry for misinterpreting your description. It must be fun to do that

no problem my friend.

When I was a kid, I hold it the wrong way. It took many years before I learn to use it in the correct way. You are right, I observed that many people are still holding it the wrong way too. But I am impressed by those non-chinese who have mastered the chopsticks. Some of them seems like having better skill than we chinese LoL. True, the Malaysian people are peaceful and not radical generally. It's our government controlled media that is spreading the racism agenda and I am totally disgusted by them. Wow, your hubby is a Frencha and you had your wedding on Chap Goh Meh! Tell me about it! You guys must be having a fun time definitely. Thanks for your response meiteoh!

It's absolutely normal and all right. You might master it some day later. But at least you have the courage to give it a try. Let me explain in words on how we should hold it. Possibly it might give you a better idea. Ok, you start by holding one of the chopstick. Stretch out the 2nd and 3rd finger, curl in the 4th and 5th finger. It will looks like 'peace' gesture. Now 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 yo are 'cutting' the 2nd chopstick with your fingers. Hope this helps, and thanks for your response!

I am sorry for your bad experience of using a chopstick. But no pain no gain. Hope you can master the skill finally. Actually you do not necessarily practise it on the spot, but instead you can try it out with pens or pencil, so that you won't feel the pressure out there in the restaurant. Although I started using the chopstick since childhood, but it took me years to finally master it, and hold it in the correct way. In fact, chopstick is a better tool for noodles and other noodle food. Thanks for your response angelwhispers30 btw!

Haha...of course I know how to use it. If you read my discussion again, you'll find that actually it was triggered by the amazement on my non-chinese friends who know how to use chopsticks for their meal. Generally a chinese will usually know how to use it. But I observed not all of them hold it correctly. It took me years to hold it correctly as well, although I start learning the skill since childhood. Thanks for your response gracelee114!