Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

nippon.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

301–310 of 408 posts

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#301

Post by NickC25 »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #203
cmcaleer wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if you were to do an Osaka version of this, the list would be limited to maybe 4 of these (licking, chopsticks upright in rice, passing between chopsticks, and pointing esp. toward a senior would be taboo). Whereas when I had a date with a girl from Kyoto, one of the first things that happened when we went to eat was she had to stop me from picking up my chopsticks impolitely and show me the proper way of doi…

Do you know how serious "chopsticks upright in rice" is? I had a Chinese teacher who mentioned the taboo (with regard to China, not Japan), but she also said that while people recognize that it's something you're not supposed to do, it's not taken seriously either.

I do. My parents (americans) lived between HK and Taiwan for a decade before I was born, and growing up, I was fortunate enough to have my folks teach me a bit of chinese. We'd regularly go to a local Chinese restaurant where the staff would speak to me in Chinese so I could practice speaking. Seeing as some of the staff were significantly older, my dad taught me to be hyper aware of customs surrounding dining norms and etiquette. One day I accidentally left my chopsticks in the rice bowl while there was still rice in it, and the waitress (an older Chinese lady) saw it - poor lady nearly fainted.

I did not make that mistake ever again.

For context - it's a way of saying "death to your family" or something akin to that.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#302

Post by t-3 »

bagacrap wrote: post #261
frereubu wrote: post #23

> こじ箸 Kojibashi (also known as ほじり箸 hojiribashi) > To use the chopsticks to pick something out from near the bottom of the dish. I think there must be some bits that are lost in translation for some of these. This makes it sound like you can't eat all of the food in a bowl with your chopsticks.

Kinda sad for me to know this because one of my favorite things about chopsticks is their precision. I can pick exactly the piece of food I feel like eating in the next moment. This makes it sound like I'm not supposed to be picky.

It makes more sense in the context of:

> 移り箸 Utsuribashi (also known as 渡り箸 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.

More about politeness to other guests in the context of a shared meal than being picky (and probably also with some similar logic to the TCM theories of how and what to eat, and maybe giving face to the host).

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#303

Post by implements »

chasil wrote: post #97
pndy wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's equally complex dining and utensils etiquette in Western culture but it's largely omitted (or even unknown) on daily basis.

There is a wiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_utensil_etiquette Edit: The wiki on chopsticks has an etiquette section broken down by country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks#Chopstick_customs,_...

I’m right handed, but eat with the fork in my right hand and knife in the left.

Is the issue that people have difficulty cutting with their left hand? Because if you can the process of eating is pretty efficient: hold with fork, cut with knife, move food on fork to mouth …

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#304

Post by ricardobeat »

rendaw wrote: post #146

Hashibashi - does this mean it's okay to place the chopsticks across the top if it's not to show you're finished? I heard that was okay as long as you align them not to point at another person (not across the table). If there's no chopstick rest I'm not sure where else you're supposed to put your chopsticks. Also I'm not sure how you're supposed to eat e.g. fried rice without yokobashi or kakibashi. Also! I thought k…

I think you’re supposed to eat fried rice with a spoon :)

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#305

Post by craftkiller »

wojciii wrote: post #282
masfuerte wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By American way do you mean cutting the food then transferring the fork to your right hand for eating? Or is there some other distinction?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ctrOZIJni8Q This explains the difference. The European method seems the most optimal.

This is bonkers. Just cut the food with your non-dominant hand. If you're so weak that you cannot cut the food with your non-dominant hand then you're either a small child, elderly, or you have a medical condition.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#306

Post by dxdm »

maxerickson wrote: post #290
dxdm wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For some reason, you're reading things into the original statement that are not there. "An etiquette exists in a culture" does not mean everyone has to follow or even be aware of it.

I would say I'm accurately reading "Western culture" as a nonsensical concept. Add an s and it gets a little better.

If mentally adding an "s" to the original comment enables you move past this issue and actually consider the comment as it was intended, then I would say that is well done and worth the effort to get to this point. :) Have a great Sunday!

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#307

Post by tomcam »

alisonatwork wrote: post #232
tomcam wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lol describing me as an Orientalist will amuse my family to no end but you made some cogent observations. All I can say is: face is a big thing in China. I respect my in-laws hugely. I did not want them to lose face nor to be made to feel uncomfortable on my behalf if I could help it. As far as I can tell Orientalism and pride had nothing to do with it. Or maybe you’re right and I am a deeply closeted chiaboo. I’ll w…

Sorry, that wasn't really what I was getting at. The thing I find interesting with orientalism is that it has a mirror in chauvinism from the other direction, both sides reinforcing the idea that there is something special about the cultural norms of people from East Asia in particular. It's almost as if there is a deliberate effort to reify cultural differences in a way that feels counterproductive. I think these fo…

> it was quite reassuring to find that - outside of the folks who really did hold chauvinist and/or racist views - most people in China cared no more about how I ate than how anyone else ate

OK I agree completely. You will see atrocious manners in an average bar there. But my in-laws are brilliant scientists and thoughtful, gracious people. My mother in law is my hero. If I can reduce any friction in her life I will. Likewise when they visited us they were always closely observant of my behavior.

I think some of what you are characterizing as chauvinism or Orientalism is what I view as courtesy? I could very well be wrong on that one or misinterpreting you.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#308

Post by Arch485 »

rendaw wrote: post #146

Hashibashi - does this mean it's okay to place the chopsticks across the top if it's not to show you're finished? I heard that was okay as long as you align them not to point at another person (not across the table). If there's no chopstick rest I'm not sure where else you're supposed to put your chopsticks. Also I'm not sure how you're supposed to eat e.g. fried rice without yokobashi or kakibashi. Also! I thought k…

I'm curious about Hashibashi as well. I've seen lots of Japanese people doing it, and now I'm worried I look like a total poser from copying them.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#309

Post by dfxm12 »

cthalupa wrote: post #4

Interesting. Some of these are big deals (particularly the ones mentioned as important) but others I have seen Japanese people in Tokyo do quite consistently. Soroebashi - not on the table, but I've seen chopsticks aligned by pushing them against the plate hundreds of time. I've also seen them used to stir miso soup, etc. plenty. Others I don't know that I would have much of an inclination to do and haven't seen but…

I see lots of people do things that are commonly written off as rude too. I don't know if there is much of a monoculture around what's rude or not, if people don't care (then is it truly rude?), or maybe the writings like this are simply outdated.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#310

Post by craftkiller »

BrandoElFollito wrote: post #218
cmcaleer wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if you were to do an Osaka version of this, the list would be limited to maybe 4 of these (licking, chopsticks upright in rice, passing between chopsticks, and pointing esp. toward a senior would be taboo). Whereas when I had a date with a girl from Kyoto, one of the first things that happened when we went to eat was she had to stop me from picking up my chopsticks impolitely and show me the proper way of doi…

I would say you dodged a bullet. I dated many foreign girls and it was always fun to discover the cultural differences. There are similar faux-pas in France but, really, nobody with an ounce of common sense cares. You like your red wine cold as I do? Someone will maybe mention that you will be loosing some aroma znd that's all. You add sugar and ice? This is probably not a drink for you and you will get some laughs b…

> You add sugar and ice?

One of my favorite alcoholic drinks is port + ice, which it sounds like the only difference here would be that wine + sugar + ice would be much weaker in terms of alcohol content.

Post reply on HN