Tableware 餐具ChopsticksKnives and forks Dinner knife butter spreader (奶油刮刀）奶油刮刀） 刀刀 Fork：salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork 叉（叉（餐叉分得很细）Goblet:water goblet, red wine goblet, white wine goblet 酒杯酒杯Spoon:soup spoon tea spoon 勺子勺子Soup bowl 碗碗Service or dinner plate bread and butter plate 餐盘餐盘Napkin 餐巾餐巾Chopsticks are used to eat most kinds of Chinese foods.Hold your chopsticks towards their end, not in the middle or the front third when dining with them. When you are not using your chopsticks, or have finished eating, lay them down in front of you with the tips to left. butter spreader (奶油刮刀）奶油刮刀）餐具摆放(the place of the table ware)In formal settings, all the silverware, glassware, cups, saucers and the like are placed on the table, so its often difficult to know which fork to use when or which water glass is yours. As a general rule to thumb, silverware is lined up in the order in which a person will use them, going from the outside, in. For instance, the fork and knife used for the salad are placed in the outermost of the setting, farthest from your plate (with the exception of the spoon). Dessert silverware, if not brought out with the dessert, are placed at the top of your entre plate. Glassware, cup and saucer are placed to your right, while the napkin, bread plate and butter spreader to your left.餐具的使用（餐具的使用（the use of the tableware) Rules on flatware(扁平的餐具，指刀，叉，匙等）Start from the outside and work your way in toward the plates as the meal progresses. Usually,the big fork is for the entree ; the big spoon for the soup .餐具的使用根据上菜的顺序由外向里使用。通常，最大的叉子是用来食用主菜的，最大的汤匙是用来喝汤的。“bd”手势：吃在你的左手边，喝在你的右手边！/ Eat bread is on ur left，drink is on ur right，摆餐具也照此守则Use the knife by your right hand.and use the fork by your left hand.Once a utensil(餐具） has been used ,it never goes back on the table .when you are taking break ,rest your fork and knife entirely on the plate .when you are finished ,place them diagonally（对角地） on the plate ,side by side ,with the handles （手柄）at 4 oclock. The knife blade（刀片） should face the center of the plate ,not point out toward another guest (an ancient sign of aggression)任何器具用过之后就要被撤下，不可再回到餐桌上，在用餐的过程中如要休息放下手中的刀叉时，刀叉应对角地（八字型）分别放在餐盘边上，不可一半在餐盘上一半在餐桌上，而且刀刃要朝向餐盘的中央，不能朝外对着旁边的客人，这在古代会被看作是一个挑衅的信号。每吃完一道菜后，刀叉要并拢放在盘中，等服务员撤走。The order of dishes in ChinaThe meal usually begins with a set of at least four cold dishes, to be followed by the main courses of hot meat and vegetable dishes. Soup then will be served to be followed by staple food ranging from rice, noodles to dumplings. If you wish to have your rice to go with other dishes, you should say so in good time, for most of the Chinese choose to have the staple food at last or have none of them at all.The order of dishes in the West. Dinner start with a small dish, which is often called an a starter .After the starter you will get a bowl of soup. Then ,fish course. The next dish is the main course,it usually is a beef steak . A vegetable salad will be served.Then a delicious dessert will appear at the table .At last is a cup of tea or coffee. startersoupFish courseMain coursevegetabledessertcoffeeManners in the West1) When leaving the table during the course of your meal, put your napkin on your chair, not the table. No one wants to see your stained napkin. And at the completion of the meal, place it on the left of your plate, or if your plate has been cleared, in the center.2) When in a situation where you have to pass food or condiments to others at the table, pass it to your right, or counter clockwise. Never do a “boarding house reach” across the table.3) While cutting meat, the correct way is to cut a piece and then switch your fork to your right hand to pick it up. This method is considered the “American” way. Not switching your fork and using your left is called the “Continental” way, and is done most often in European countries. This way is gaining acceptance and I wouldnt be surprised if one day soon its considered acceptable in fine dining. Also, cut meat a piece at a time. Cutting the entire meat up into pieces or cutting more than one at a time is tacky 4) When youre done with your meal, the proper placement of the silverware is to lay them parallel to each other and across the plate with the handles facing the right. To clarify, the ends would be facing 10 oclock and four. Note: Not all waiters will know this and they still may ask you if its okay to clear your plate. At least you appear classy.Manners in China1)Spitting Out the BonesIn China it is also common practice to spit things out on the table or the floor. Often food has small pieces of bone or other inedible parts that need to be removed from the mouth. Using chopsticks, a hand or a tissue is a polite way around the problem. 2)Touching Tables Though in the West it is sometimes considered rude to put ones elbows on the dining table, this is quite acceptable in China, particularly when eating noodles. You however may want to avoid this in some restaurants where the table is only wiped with an old cloth and there may be some unseen residue from the previous patrons meals.3)DessertEating something sweet for dessert is not a Chinese custom. Sweet things can be found hidden among everything else on a Chinese menu. Fruit salads and caramel covered apple are Chinese sweet dishes that are popular with Westerners.4)DrinkingBeer is very popular in China, but it is all very similar with none of the stronger or darker varieties brewed in the West. The other popular alcoholic drink is rice wine. Beware, this can be very strong .In China, drinking alcohol is still mainly a male custom.Male guests are routinely offered alcohol and cigarettes at meal times. Just politely refuse if you dont want them. An empty glass is always refilled, no matter about protests that the guest has had enough, as a mark of politeness or good will. Often a refusal has to be given three times. See Chinese Guest and Host Customs.