To Slurp or Not to Slurp

October 28 2020

Is it rude to slurp when eating a bowl of noodles? Well, it depends. While slurping is considered bad table manners in the West, it's not always the case in Asia. If you're traveling to Korea or Japan, slurping is an acceptable behavior at the dinner table. In fact, it's an expression of gratitude to the host or the cook; when we slurp, it means we love the food.

However, in China, people usually associate slurping with rudeness and gluttony, none of which is positive. So, if you ever find yourself in China, try to keep your slurping to a minimum.