About
The character "筷" for chopsticks is a relatively late formation, structurally composed of the bamboo radical "竹" atop the phonetic and semantic component "快" meaning quick. It originated as a vernacular replacement for the older term "箸", driven by linguistic taboos among boatmen who avoided the word because it sounded like a word for stopping. This shift involved borrowing the sound of "快" while retaining the bamboo material indicator, creating a new character that explicitly associated the utensil with speed and efficiency. Over time, "筷" supplanted "箸" in common usage, though its core referent as an eating implement has not changed.
Example Sentences Hide
我用筷子吃饭。
她学习使用筷子。
这些筷子是木制的。
他拿起筷子夹菜。
妈妈买了一双新筷子。
我用筷子吃面条很容易。
如果你不会用筷子，可以用勺子。
这家餐厅提供的筷子是一次性的。