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Japan Data

A Japanese Glossary of Chopsticks Faux Pas

Culture Food and Drink Jun 28, 2022

An overview of chopsticks gaffes that are best avoided when eating in
Japan.
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From bad manners to taboo, there are certain ways of using chopsticks
that are considered as going against dining etiquette. These various
acts, known as kiraibashi, are listed below.

(Listed in Japanese syllabary order)

 ageZhu  Agebashi

To raise the chopsticks above the height of one's mouth.

 Xi iZhu  Araibashi

To clean the chopsticks in soup or beverages.

 He waseZhu  Awasebashi (also known as Shi iZhu  hiroibashi or Zhu Du shi 
hashiwatashi)

!!! (Serious) To pass food from one pair of chopsticks to another.
This is taboo due to the custom after a cremation service of picking
up remains and passing them between chopsticks.

 Shou keZhu  Ukebashi

To hold out one's bowl for more while still holding chopsticks.

 Yi riZhu  Utsuribashi (also known as Du riZhu  wataribashi)

To keep putting the chopsticks into the same side dishes. It is
proper etiquette to first eat rice, move on to eat from a side dish,
eat rice again, and then eat from a different side dish.

 uraZhu  Urabashi (also known assoraZhu  sorabashi)

To pick up food with the chopsticks and then put it back without
taking it.

 Bai miZhu  Ogamibashi

To hold the chopsticks between both hands when expressing thanks for
the food. It is considered rude to hold objects in your hands when in
prayer and it is taboo to hold the chopsticks while saying
Itadakimasu, a phrase said before eating, giving thanks for the life
of the food.

Ogamibashi. ((c) Pixta)
Ogamibashi. ((c) Pixta)

 Ya shiIp miZhu  Oshikomibashi (also known as Ip miZhu  komibashi)

To use the chopsticks to push food deep inside one's mouth.

 Luo toshiZhu  Otoshibashi

To drop the chopsticks while eating.

 Fan shiZhu  Kaeshibashi (also known as Ni saZhu  sakasabashi)

To turn the chopsticks around when serving food so that the tips of
the chopsticks that have touched one's mouth do not touch the food.

 kakiZhu  Kakibashi (also known as kakiIp miZhu  kakikomibashi)

To place one's mouth against the side of a dish and push food in with
the chopsticks. This can also mean to use the chopsticks to scratch
one's head or other parts of the body.

 kamiZhu  Kamibashi

To bite the chopsticks.

 kuwaeZhu  Kuwaebashi

To take the tips of the chopsticks in one's mouth.

 koziZhu  Kojibashi (also known as hoziriZhu  hojiribashi)

To use the chopsticks to pick something out from near the bottom of
the dish.

 kosuriZhu  Kosuribashi

To rub waribashi (disposable chopsticks) together to remove
splinters.

 Tan riZhu  Saguribashi

To use the chopsticks to stir the food around to find something.

 Ci shiZhu  Sashibashi (also known as Tu kiZhu  tsukibashi)

To use the chopsticks to stab food and skewer it.

 Zhi shiZhu  Sashibashi

To point at people and things using chopsticks.

 zikaZhu  Jikabashi

To use one's own chopsticks instead of serving chopsticks to take
food from a large serving dish.

 Tou kashiZhu  Sukashibashi

After eating the top half of a fish, to use the chopsticks to keep
eating by poking between the bones instead of removing them.

 seseriZhu  Seseribashi

To use the chopsticks to keep poking food around.

 soroeZhu  Soroebashi

To hold chopsticks together and tap them on a dish or the top of the
table to align the tips.

 tatakiZhu  Tatakibashi

To make a noise by tapping chopsticks on a dish.

 Li teZhu  Tatebashi (also known as Tu kiLi teZhu  tsukitatebashi, Fo Zhu  
hotokebashi)

!!! (Serious) To stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. This is
taboo, as it is the way rice is presented as a Buddhist funeral
offering.

 Wei iZhu  Chigaibashi

To use chopsticks that are made of different materials (for example,
one made from wood and the other made from bamboo).

 chigiriZhu  Chigiribashi

To hold one chopstick in each hand and use them like a knife and fork
to tear or cut food into smaller pieces.

 Diao Fu Zhu  Chobukubashi

To place the chopsticks on the table with the tips pointing to the
right.

Chobukubashi. ((c) Pixta)
Chobukubashi. ((c) Pixta)

 Lei Zhu  Namidabashi

To allow sauce or soup to drip from the tips of the chopsticks when
eating. Namida means "tears."

 Wo riZhu  Nigiribashi

To grip both chopsticks in a fist.

Nigiribashi. ((c) Pixta)
Nigiribashi. ((c) Pixta)

 neburiZhu  Neburibashi

To lick the chopsticks.

 Qiao Zhu  Hashibashi (also known asDu shiZhu  watashibashi)

To place the chopsticks like a bridge across the top of a dish to
show one is finished. Chopsticks should be placed on the hashioki
(chopstick rest).

 haneZhu  Hanebashi

To use chopsticks to push aside food that one does not want to eat.

 Zhen riShang geZhu  Furiagebashi

To raise the tips of the chopsticks higher than the back of one's
hand.

 Zhen riZhu  Furibashi

To shake off soup, sauce, or small bits of food from the tips of the
chopsticks.

 Huo iZhu  Madoibashi (also known as Mi iZhu  mayoibashi)

To keep one's chopsticks hovering over the dishes, unable to decide
which food to eat.

 Hui shiZhu  Mawashibashi

To stir soup with the chopsticks.

 mogikuwae Mogikuwae

To put chopsticks sideways in one's mouth instead of placing them on
the table when moving a dish.

 mogiZhu  Mogibashi

To bite off and eat grains of rice that are stuck to the chopsticks.

 Chi chiZhu  Mochibashi

To hold both chopsticks and a dish in one hand at the same time.

 Yang Zhi Zhu  Yojibashi

To use a chopstick like a toothpick.

 Heng Zhu  Yokobashi

To line the chopsticks up together and use them like a spoon to scoop
up food.

 Ji seZhu  Yosebashi

To pull a dish toward oneself using chopsticks.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo (c) Pixta.)

manners chopsticks

 

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