お箸(はし)

おはし
noun
chopsticks
politefood
See also: 箸(はし) (chopsticks (plain form))
1. chopsticks
A pair of thin sticks used for eating, held in one hand. The polite form with the prefix お is the standard everyday term.
お箸(はし)をください。
Chopsticks, please.
お箸(はし)の持(も)ち方(かた)がきれいですね。
You hold your chopsticks beautifully.
割(わ)り箸(ばし)はお箸(はし)が付(つ)いてこないときに使(つか)います。
You use disposable chopsticks when chopsticks aren't provided.

The お prefix is standard and not overly formal — most speakers say お箸(はし) rather than just 箸(はし) in everyday speech. Dropping the お sounds slightly rough.

Materials and types

  • 割(わ)り箸(ばし) — disposable (split) chopsticks
  • 塗(ぬ)り箸(ばし) — lacquered chopsticks
  • マイ箸(はし) — one's own personal chopsticks (eco trend)

CHOPSTICK MANNERS (箸(はし)のマナー): There are many taboos around chopstick use in Japan, including 刺(さ)し箸(ばし) (stabbing food), 渡(わた)し箸(ばし) (passing food chopstick-to-chopstick, associated with funeral rites), and 迷(まよ)い箸(ばし) (hovering over dishes).

Related Words

Related: 割(わ)り箸(ばし) (disposable chopsticks)
general
Added 2026.2.6 3:06 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31
10000/10275_ohashi