rudely reaching across one's tray with chopsticks
A breach of Japanese dining etiquette: stretching one's chopsticks over the personal serving tray (膳) to grab food placed behind it, instead of lifting the food closer first. Often cited as a table-manner taboo.
Reaching across one's tray is considered a breach of Japanese dining etiquette.
I taught my child, 'You must not reach across your tray with your chopsticks.'
Compound of 膳 (ぜん, 'tray') and 越し (ごし, 'crossing over'). The word describes the action of crossing over the tray with chopsticks.