Illustration of chopstick
chopstick
noun
chop·stick
ˈchäp-ˌstik 
plural chopsticks
: one of a pair of slender sticks (as of wood or plastic) held between the thumb and fingers and used to lift food to the mouth
Never spear food with a chopstick! If you're having trouble picking up your food, a spoon is your plan B.—
Laura Barry
—usually used in pluralLaura BarryTo eat rice, both etiquette and practicality dictate that you use chopsticks to pick up a morsel of meat, fish, or whatever …; position it over the rice bowl, allowing its juices or sauce to drip into the rice; eat the morsel; then shovel some rice into your mouth with the chopsticks.—Saveur
Saveur"… I do get uncomfortable when people use chopsticks for every Asian food. Traditionally, I may use chopsticks when my food is served in a soup bowl with noodles or rice, but we often use forks and spoons for our dishes. …"—Darrell Loo, quoted in Feast
Darrell Loo, quoted in Feast
Examples of chopstick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The use of her chopsticks at a restaurant in Guangzhou has also been a particular observation.
—Fatima Hussein, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
The breathless state media coverage of her dining choices or dexterity with chopsticks reflects an effort by Beijing to cast Yellen’s visit in a positive light, especially to an increasingly anti-American Chinese public.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Light-Up Lightsaber Chopsticks, $12 To lock down some stocking stuffers that are far more interesting than a bar of chocolate, add these light-up lightsaber chopsticks.
—Melissa Epifano, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2023
This easy trick to pitting cherries only requires two tools: a bottle and a chopstick.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2023
The utensils gave these cooks the same control their Asian counterparts had enjoyed for centuries with chopsticks but were easier to master.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Zuckerberg could be seen holding a string of noodles in his chopsticks, smiling at his youngest daughter, who had a mess of noodles and other food on her high chair.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2024
Then, just as Cecilia did, steam the fish in the microwave on a pair of chopsticks, raised from the surface of the plate.
—Lucas Sin, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024
Chinese users assailed Dolce & Gabbana in 2018 for an advertisement featuring a Chinese woman eating Italian food with chopsticks; the fashion brand is still dealing with the repercussions today.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024
Fatima Hussein, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
The breathless state media coverage of her dining choices or dexterity with chopsticks reflects an effort by Beijing to cast Yellen’s visit in a positive light, especially to an increasingly anti-American Chinese public.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Light-Up Lightsaber Chopsticks, $12 To lock down some stocking stuffers that are far more interesting than a bar of chocolate, add these light-up lightsaber chopsticks.
—Melissa Epifano, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2023
This easy trick to pitting cherries only requires two tools: a bottle and a chopstick.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2023
The utensils gave these cooks the same control their Asian counterparts had enjoyed for centuries with chopsticks but were easier to master.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
Zuckerberg could be seen holding a string of noodles in his chopsticks, smiling at his youngest daughter, who had a mess of noodles and other food on her high chair.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2024
Then, just as Cecilia did, steam the fish in the microwave on a pair of chopsticks, raised from the surface of the plate.
—Lucas Sin, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024
Chinese users assailed Dolce & Gabbana in 2018 for an advertisement featuring a Chinese woman eating Italian food with chopsticks; the fashion brand is still dealing with the repercussions today.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chopstick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near chopstick
Cite this Entry
“Chopstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chopstick. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chopstick
noun
chop·stick
ˈchäp-ˌstik
: one of a pair of slender sticks used chiefly in Asian countries to lift food to the mouth
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