Chopsticks are traditional eating utensils in many East Asian cultures, particularly in China, Japan, and Korea. It is believed that chopsticks were first used in China over 5,000 years ago, initially as cooking tools and later as eating utensils.
They were widely adopted in East Asia due to their practicality, versatility, and convenience, especially in countries where a knife and fork were not used. Chopsticks are made from a variety of materials such as bamboo, wood, bone, ivory, and metal. The use of chopsticks spread to Japan and Korea through cultural exchange and trade.
Today, chopsticks are used not only in East Asia but also in Southeast Asia and beyond, and are an iconic part of East Asian culture and cuisine.
Vocabulary:
• utensils: tools or objects used in cooking, eating, or other household activities
• chopsticks: traditional eating utensils in many East Asian cultures
• pincer: a tool used for gripping, twisting, or holding small objects
• bamboo: a type of grass that is used to make various items, including chopsticks
• jade: a precious stone used in jewelry and other decorative items
• silver: a metal commonly used in jewelry, coins, and other decorative items
• bits: small pieces or fragments
• noodles: a type of pasta made from wheat flour or rice flour
• dumplings: small balls of dough filled with various ingredients, often boiled or steamed
• no-nos: things that are not allowed or not approved
• drumsticks: a long and thin piece of meat from the leg of a chicken or other poultry
• tempting: desirable or attractive and hard to resist
• face-up: with the top or front side facing upwards
• incense: a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned
• echoes: a close parallel to an idea, feeling, or event.
• sphere: a three-dimensional object shaped like a ball or globe
• tend: to have an inclination to be or do something a certain way
• flatter: to praise excessively
• pointy: having a sharp or tapered end
• commonplace: ordinary or unremarkable
• cuisine: a style of cooking and the foods associated with it
• tripods: three-legged stands used for support
• boiling: heating a liquid to its boiling point
• knives: cutting tools used in cooking, eating, or other household activities
• forks: utensils used for eating, with tines used to pick up food
• energy-efficient: using less energy to perform a task
• starve: to suffer from hunger or malnutrition
Source: Ted-Ed