Using chopsticks is not nearly as difficult as most westerners think. With a few pointers and a little practice anyone can learn to use them.
Whenever people find out that I live with a Chinese family they almost always ask me if I know how to use chopsticks. When I tell them I use them everyday, they are instantly awed and usually ask me to demonstrate the skill. I find it somewhat humorous because they turn a simple method of eating into a circus act. You would think they wanted me to demonstrate how to levitate, juggle or solve a Rubix cube. The thing I would like to make clear is that using chopsticks is not nearly as difficult as most people think. It looks tricky, but it's rather simple.
The first mistake I've noticed is that many individuals are too concerned with having perfect form and so don't attempt to use them at all. While there are some customs concerning chopsticks that vary depending on the culture, most of those involve simply using good table-manners. i.e.) not banging them together, using them as drumsticks, using them to take food from a communal dish etc…).
If you are traveling over-seas, please take the time to study the etiquette on the location you are going to as it differs from country to country and even region to region. That being said, the way you actually hold a set of chopsticks in your hand has more to do with what is comfortable for you than with any rule or custom. My advice for someone in the United States trying to learn to use chopsticks is not to worry about the rules. If you get the food from the bowl to your mouth, you are using them correctly!
The second mistake I see people make is that they go out and buy the nicest pair of chopsticks they can find to learn with. Typically the nicer the chopsticks, the harder they are to use. I would first go out and buy yourself a really cheap wooden set. The wood or the bamboo ones are the easiest to learn how to pick up food with. Once you are comfortable using those you can move on to plastic, ceramic or metal ones. Also, when selecting a pair of chopsticks keep in mind that the shorter ones are a little easier than the longer ones in the beginning. Chopsticks also vary in weight. I recommend selecting a medium weight set as it will likely be easier to maneuver than a very heavy or very light set. However, any set that you are comfortable with and will actually use will be the best ones for you.
Once you have selected your chopsticks
- Place one chopstick in the crook of your thumb and index finger. The chopstick should be at the base of your thumb and your thumb should be about 1/3 the way down from the broad end of the chopstick.
- Rest the chopstick on your ring finger between ½ way and 2/3 the way down the chopstick. The first chopstick should now be very stable with one end securely between your thumb and index finger and the other end resting on your ring finger.
- Place the second chopstick in your hand the way you would hold a pen. It should rest slightly on the tip of your thumb and be held into place with support from your middle finger.
- Use your index and middle fingers to practice moving the tip of the top chopstick up and down. The bottom chopstick should remain relatively still. As you move the top one down the tip should meet up with the tip of the bottom one.
- Imagine you are pinching something. If the tips aren't meeting up, adjust one chopstick so they do because it will be very difficult to pick anything up if the two chopsticks aren't evenly aligned.
- Attempt to pick up some food! Start with large chunks of food like chopped up vegetables or meat. Once you get the hang of that you can try the trickier foods like rice and grains.
- Practice Practice Practice!
Beginners often find it a little easier to hold their chopsticks closer to the middle rather than 1/3 the way down as described. Some people hold the top chopstick between their middle and ring finger as opposed to between the middle and index finger. Remember these are only guidelines, if you are holding your chopsticks slightly different than what is described above that is okay. Do what works for you. If you put a little effort into it, you'll be eating like a pro in no time!
