Some suggestions of basic table manners

As you know, China has the longest continue civilization in the world. Therefore, she has developed a set of specific regulations including table manners for us to follow. In general, Chinese table manners are not very different from the western ones, however, since these two cultures had developed separately for many centuries. So, there are still slightly deferent between them. If we live in the western world, it is a good practice to following their rules of games when we around them. As I always say "Acting like an American if we around Americans, and acting like a Chinese if we around Chinese" for that, I would like to apologize for using my broken English to type in my post. I think in most cases, being polite and having good manner is being considerate to others.

I don't think that I am an expert of manners, and I don't even think that I know the table manner very well. However, since I am a detail oriented person, and I have learned a lot from others in this forum. So, I would like to share some of my observations of table manners with you.

1. Sitting straight while we eat is a basic requirement, which is true for both Chinese and western table manner.

2. Don't make any noise while we chew on the food that is true for both Chinese and western table manner.

3. Never open our month when we chew on food.

4. Do not let the silverware scratch the plate/bowl, since that will make terrible noise.

5. Never sucking fingers in front of others.

6. Don't use bread to dip in the sauce in our plate; I think you can do that at home in front of your hubby though.

7. Never chew on bones in front of others, if you don’t want disgust your hu*****and/wife.

8. The western table manner also require push the soup spoon away (outward) from us when eating soup.

9. When eating the appetizer, main course, desert…etc, cut a bite size of food, put it entirely into our mouth, then cut another piece, never cut all the food up.

10. When we eat soup, don't suck on the soup from our spoon, since that will make noise.

11. Teaspoon is used for stirring coffee or tea, never use it to drink coffee, I have never seen anyone did that anyway.

12. If we go to a formal dinner, there will be several forks, knives in front of you, use the outer ones of fork and knife first, then the inner ones.

13. Eating Chinese noodle soup at home, that is a challenge for me. I usually use a Chinese spoon and chopsticks, use the chopsticks to pick up some noodles into the Chinese spoon, and put them entirely into the mouth. That can avoid the noodles hanging out from our mouth.

14. Do not burp (belch) in front of others, you may do that in front of you hubby though

15. Trying to eat slowly in anything will always help too

所有跟帖： 

• 完了, 我老是啃猪脚, 鸭翅膀之类的.... -红尘一笑- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 10:19:24

• 姐姐，俺们在家里都做不到。不过俺和孩子们说，在外面要收敛 -clipmom- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 10:22:21

• Thank you for reading my post. I am at work right now, -gzlady- ♀ (84 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 10:25:40

• very helpful!! 喝汤最是高难度。正式场合干脆我放弃那钵汤。 -acme- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 10:43:08

• Thank you, yes, maybe eating soup with a good manner -gzlady- ♀ (167 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 07:28:12

• 最杰出的要算是吃面喝面汤, -红尘一笑- ♀ (69 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 11:14:59

• I find there is a slight difference between European and America -kathyzhang73- ♀ (433 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 11:25:56

• Very good observation, Kathy -gzlady- ♀ (900 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 11:52:45

• and many americans cut with their forks - much to the Europeans' -clipmom- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 11:55:31

• Add one more: Do not lift the bowl out of table while -AP24- ♀ (88 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 11:35:22

• Thank you, those are very true, since Chinese like to -gzlady- ♀ (212 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 12:02:15

• 我在家里还是啃骨头．蒙我劳工：这样吃才地道！哈哈． -love9999- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 15:02:16

• 看来你比我幸运多了 :))) -gzlady- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 20:24:27

• 实用的礼仪课.谢谢!!!! -紫云飘- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/20/2007 postreply 17:55:41

• Thank you, I am glad that you like my post :))) -gzlady- ♀ (0 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 07:19:56

• totally agree, add one more -Viol- ♀ (262 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 01:04:11

• keep your hand on the lap. -babylisa- ♀ (373 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 04:41:10

• Good suggetions. I would say that try not to put -gzlady- ♀ (322 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 07:18:40

• Good question, MM. When I only use one hand to eat -gzlady- ♀ (247 bytes) () 11/21/2007 postreply 07:09:00