お箸(はし)

The お prefix is the ordinary everyday form and does not sound formal; plain 箸(はし) is normal in writing and in compounds.

Types

• 割(わ)り箸(ばし): disposable (split) chopsticks
• 塗(ぬ)り箸(ばし): lacquered chopsticks
• 菜箸(さいばし): long cooking chopsticks
• マイ箸(はし): one's own chopsticks, carried to avoid disposable ones

Cultural note

Several uses of chopsticks are taboo: 刺(さ)し箸(ばし) (stabbing food), 迷(まよ)い箸(ばし) (hovering over the dishes), 渡(わた)し箸(ばし) (resting chopsticks across a bowl), and passing food from chopsticks to chopsticks (箸渡(はしわた)し), which recalls the passing of bones at a cremation.