# Can you use Chopsticks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 3, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405 "2007-10-03T17:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/61 "2007-10-04T04:30:38Z")
I can use them pretty well. I like to actually, something different and it just seems appropriate to do so when eating Chinese or sushi. One time, at some fair or other I was at, there was a set up to time yourself in picking a marble out of a bottle using chopsticks (they weren’t smooth, they had… lines? divots? I dunno what to call them but they were cut around the tip for a bit of extra traction on the marble) and I had the best time at fifteen seconds. 😃 I’m not sure when I learned, or who taught me. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/62 "2007-10-04T04:41:58Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Wiki says ‘It is rude to rub wooden chopsticks together after breaking them apart, as this communicates to the host that the user thinks the chopsticks are cheap.’ [/QUOTE] Bullshit, I say. The wooden chopsticks that have to be broken apart are _always_ cheap chopsticks. No good host would use those to set a table for a proper dinner. Not in Korea, anyway. It’d be like setting a nice dinner table with plastic instead of silverware. It took me until I was 7 to figure out how to use chopsticks properly, and our household was pretty traditionally Korean, so I got a lot of crap for it. I used to use them like spears. Either that or hold one in each hand and rip my food into shreds. My parents were always quite disapproving. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/63 "2007-10-04T06:39:11Z")
Yes, I can. I was lousy at it when I was young (my parents always eat Asian food with chopsticks, so I’d tried plenty of times), but my best friend from age 14-25 is Chinese-born and I don’t think they even had any forks in the house. After my friend’s mom laughed at my attempts a couple times, I learned how to use them pretty quickly. I’ve now been complimented on my skills on several occasions. I don’t know about “form”, but I use chopsticks as **jjimm** describes - I hold one pretty much still and use the front stick to really pick stuff up. Back in June, I went with my fourth graders on a field trip that involved going to a Chinese restaurant. My kids were amazed by my skillz, just confirming their opinion that I am the coolest teacher in school. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/64 "2007-10-04T07:13:47Z")
Well it would appear that I’m among the “my fingers are uncoordinated crowd” as 99% of you have no problems using chopsticks Thanks for making me feel totally inadequate ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/65 "2007-10-04T09:23:02Z")
I’ve been able to use them since almost before I can remember. Most Australians in urban areas can. If you need a knife and fork, you will need to ask. I was a bit taken aback when I was given a knife and fork (but my Chinese friends were given chopsticks) in Hong Kong. Chopsticks rock. I frequently use the large bbq/cooking type ones for cooking Western things like fried sausages. They grip the food with unusual precision, and don’t scratch the pan. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/66 "2007-10-04T09:33:29Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Well it would appear that I’m among the “my fingers are uncoordinated crowd” as 99% of you have no problems using chopsticks [/QUOTE] Not to mention 1,321,851,888 Chinese. > [@](#): > > Thanks for making me feel totally inadequate And insignificant! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/67 "2007-10-04T09:39:42Z")
I must say though: I need to think when I’m using Japanese ones. I’m at home with the Cantonese blunt ended ones. For some reason, the difference is quite pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/68 "2007-10-04T11:26:35Z")
Thanks **jjimm** nothing like a few crumbs of comfort from a fellow Brit. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/69 "2007-10-04T11:31:48Z")
Anyone know how to compress .mov files? I did a little instructional video for my compatriot **chowder** on the use of chopsticks, complete with me dropping stuff and my cat getting in the way, but it’s 124 Mb and exceeds YouTube’s upload size limit. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/70 "2007-10-04T11:33:36Z")
Yes, I can use chopsticks. Chalk that up to too many meals in bad Midwestern Chinese places, as I’ve never been west of San Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/71 "2007-10-04T12:08:12Z")
[QUOTE=China Guy] i’ve never seen anyone catch a fly or mosquito. I is mentioned in musashi, book of 5 rings. ultimate epic tale of the japanese swordsman. [/QUOTE] Once, during a party, I picked up a beer cap with chopsticks. Feeling a bit daring, I threw the cap up in the air and made a wild motion to catch it in mid-fall – all with the chopsticks, of course. Against tremendous odds, I did in fact catch the cap. Everyone, including two Chinese exchange students, had to pick their jaws off the floor after that trick. I know the odds were bad now because I tried repeating the feat when I was alone later and never could do it. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/72 "2007-10-04T12:38:46Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Anyone know how to compress .mov files? I did a little instructional video for my compatriot **chowder** on the use of chopsticks, complete with me dropping stuff and my cat getting in the way, but it’s 124 Mb and exceeds YouTube’s upload size limit. [/QUOTE] You could email it to me 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/73 "2007-10-04T15:01:39Z")
Yes, I can use chopsticks. I can eat anything with chopsticks, including soup. We pick up and eat peanuts all the time in our kung pao chicken. (Try eating grape nuts in milk with chopsticks if you want a real challenge.) It’s one of the things that impressed my Chinese in-laws. The other was eating and liking the tripe. Both my kids can use chopsticks as well. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/74 "2007-10-04T15:09:07Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] Bullshit, I say. The wooden chopsticks that have to be broken apart are _always_ cheap chopsticks. No good host would use those to set a table for a proper dinner. Not in Korea, anyway. It’d be like setting a nice dinner table with plastic instead of silverware. [/QUOTE] That’s a Japanese thing, so it’s not bullshit. Japanese serve their guests with disposable chopsticks since each person in the house has their own set. The more expensive disposable ones don’t have to be broken apart, but not everyone provides these for guests. I’ll assume people will know if I can or not. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/75 "2007-10-04T15:16:16Z")
I can use chopsticks pretty well but haven’t done so in about 15 years. A Chinese business associate of my brother treated us and a bunch of other guys to dinner in exchange for unloading some trucks. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/76 "2007-10-04T15:33:55Z")
My wife is Chinese, Born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada’s Chinatowns, and grew up working in restaurants. I damn well better know how to use chopsticks. 😉 Her family is used to me by now, but they are still impressed when I can pick up the small, slippery items at dim sum w/ ease. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/77 "2007-10-04T16:02:40Z")
Yes. I was introduced to them at a fairly young age, when my uncle married a Vietnamese woman, and of course this is the kind of physical skill that’s a lot easier to learn when you’re a kid compared to when you’re an adult. At the time, I didn’t really think about it, but I am endlessly grateful, now that sushi and dim sum have really started to take off, that I have this skill in my repertoire. I am also endlessly amused when a chopstick-challenged dining companion fumbles the dim sum, dropping it into their soy sauce and spattering the front of their shirt. Heh heh. (Why are they called chopsticks, anyway?) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/78 "2007-10-04T16:14:33Z")
> [@](#): > > (Why are they called chopsticks, anyway?) I believe it’s Pidgin English “chop” = “quick” ( as in “chop-chop”) + “sticks” Sorta “sticks that let you eat quickly” ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/79 "2007-10-04T18:00:40Z")
I honestly don’t remember when I learned to use chopsticks. It feels like I’ve known all my life, although we never went out for Chinese/Japanese when I was growing up. The first date I ever went on with my wife was to sushi, and it was then that I taught her how to use chopsticks. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405/80 "2007-10-04T18:08:34Z")
I just tried again to eat some noodles using the dreaded chopsticks and yet again my fingers just wouldn’t obey. I did manage to pick up 2 noodles 🙂 then dropped 'em down my shirt front ☹ Sorry y’all but you can keep the chopbloodysticks it’s forks from here on in for moi [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-chopsticks/421405.md?page=5)