Casual — to friend
Cultural · Dining
You
はし渡しはお葬式でやることだから、食事の時はタブーなんですよ。
はしわたしはおそうしきでやることだから、しょくじのときはタブーなんですよ。
Passing food from chopstick to chopstick is a funeral custom, so it's taboo during regular meals.
Romaji: Hashi-watashi wa o-soushiki de yaru koto dakara, shokuji no toki wa tabuu na n desu yo. / Reply Romaji: Sou nan da! Shiraanakatta.
Reply
そうなんだ！知らなかった。
そうなんだ！しらなかった。
Really! I had no idea.
Gesture & etiquette
A calm, informative tone works best — not alarmed or shaming. If you see this happen at a table, a quiet, private word is more appropriate than a public correction. Many foreigners are simply unaware of the cultural significance.
「箸渡し」(hashi-watashi) — passing food directly from one pair of chopsticks to another — is the one absolute chopstick taboo. It replicates the ritual of passing cremated bones at a Japanese funeral (骨拾い). Even among close friends, doing this at the table is jarring. Always use serving chopsticks or place food on a plate instead.