In Japan, the way you handle your chopsticks makes or breaks your etiquette at the table. As previously mentioned, there is a dauntingly large number of ways to be offensive with your chopsticks. A sampling:
1. Cramming chopsticks (komi-bashi)
Using the chopsticks to stuff food into and already-full mouth.
2. Dragging chopsticks (yose-bashi)
Using chopsticks to move or pick up a plate or bowl.
3. Piercing chopsticks (sashi-bashi)
Piercing food with one or both chopsticks in order to pick it up.
4. Raking chopsticks (kaki-bashi)
Holding a plate or bowl up to your mouth and using the chopsticks to rake the food into your mouth.
5. Hesitating chopsticks (mayoi-bashi)
Indecisively hovering your chopsticks over various dishes before choosing.
6. Scooping chopsticks (yoko-bashi)
Holding the chopsticks together and using them as a spoon.
7. Crying chopsticks (namida-bashi)
Letting soup drip from the tips of the chopsticks.
8. Striking chopsticks (tataki-bashi)
Tapping a bowl with your chopsticks to get someone's attention.
9. Licked chopsticks (neburi-bashi)
Licking off food that is clinging to the chopsticks.
10. Seeking chopsticks (saguri-bashi)
Poking around in soup with chopsticks, looking for its contents.
11. Pointing chopsticks (yubisashi-bashi)
Pointing at someone or something with your chopsticks.
12. Carrying chopsticks (mochi-bashi)
Picking up or carrying a dish in the same hand that you are holding chopsticks.
13. Roving chopsticks (utsuri-bashi)
Eating only non-rice dishes. It is polite to alternate a bite of a non-rice dish with a bite of rice or sip of sake.
14. Probing chopsticks (kara-bashi)
Touching food with your chopsticks, then putting it down without eating it. To do this indicates distrust toward the one who provided the food.
15. Groping chopsticks (koji-bashi)
Using your chopsticks to poke around in a pile of food, looking for your favorite item.
And that's only fifteen of the taboos! Though I've been told I am a polite and proper user of chopsticks, I am still a frequent offender of numbers 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12, though I've probably done everything on this list at some point. But obviously I'm not the only one whose chopstick etiquette is sadly lacking -- a school in Japan has begun testing chopstick skills as part of its entrance exam. I'd like to think I'd pass such a test, but my roving, pointing, groping, cramming chopsticks tell another story.
Wonderful entry! Thanks!