Get heating operations in hand for a Chinese meal (10)
I believe the answer is:
chopsticks
'meal' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how one could define the other.
'get heating operations in hand for a chinese' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'operations' could be 'ops' (I have seen 'Military operations ' mean 'ops' so perhaps 'operations' could also mean 'ops') and 'ops' is found within the answer.
'chinese' could be 'ch' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'ch' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'ticks' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chopsticks that I've seen before include "simple piano melody" , "eating utensils" , "Eating aid - simple piece for piano" .)