Chopsticks are the ideal tool for eating noodles, but they're harder to use than they look.

For the uninitiated, mastering this culinary tool can be quite the challenge, but once you've got the technique down, dishes such as ramen and sushi become infinitely more enjoyable.

However, making the transition from fork to chopsticks might lead to messier meal times, with splatters of sauce often decorating one's T-shirt courtesy of the slippery, broth-drenched noodles.

It turns out, there's a common error we're all making when it comes to utilising chopsticks correctly.

To mark National Chopstick Day today (6th February), we've got the perfect hack to ensure you never make a mess when eating with chopsticks again - as there's one mistake we're all making.

In a TikTok video by Saemmul Song, she confirmed that you shouldn't just pick up noodles and let them dangle down. Instead, there's an easy trick that allows you to wrap the noodles around the chopsticks so they form a bite-sized ball.

She said: "I don't know if this is a Korean thing, it's probably not, but in case you didn't know, this is how you twirl noodles using chopsticks. It's not going to work if you try to twist it like a fork.

"Instead, pick up a little bit of your noodles and just make circles around your plate or bowl."

The woman demonstrated herself twirling her chopsticks within the bowl, and as she did, the noodles began to coil impeccably around the base of her chopsticks until she had a neat mouthful with zero mess.

She stated triumphantly: "You'll end up with the perfect bite. You're welcome!"

Viewers of her post were astounded by this clever technique, with several proclaiming it to be absolutely transformative.

One individual exclaimed: "Not even exaggerating when I say this is life-changing. Thanks for the tip!"

Another said: "Oh this makes so much sense, I will try this!"

While a third grateful commenter posted: "Thank you so much! I just resign myself to getting it all over my face and shirt when it's dangling!"