Chinese people regard it as inauspicious to place a pair of chopsticks unevenly on the table before, during or after a meal. They call it "son thong liang duan,” or “ three long and two short”, which indicates death. According to traditional Chinese customs, dead bodies were placed in coffins in the past. In those days, coffins were made from two short boards at the front and back, and three long ones at the two sides and the bottom—hence the saying. Therefore, it is taboo to place one's chopsticks unevenly on the table.
这意思就是说在用餐前或用餐过程当中，将筷子长短不齐的放在桌子上。这种做法是大不吉利的，通常我们管它叫“三长两短”。其意思是代表“死亡”。因为中国人过去认为人死以后是要装进棺材的，在人装进去以后，还没有盖棺材盖的时候，棺材的组成部分是前后两块短木板，两旁加底部共三块长木板，五块木板合在一起做成的棺材正好是三长两短，所以说这是极为不吉利的事情。
