Last Updated on September 6, 2024
One of the most famous 1980’s movie trilogies, The Karate Kid, has become a staple of classic cinematography. Ralph Macchio found himself becoming a household name once the movie was released, and nearly everybody knows about Mr Miyagi, his bonsai trees, and the old classic “wax on, wax off”. The first movie was released in 1984, the second in 1986, and the third in 1989, and since then, a huge following has been amassed for the series.
Not only that, but pop culture in the 21st century has picked back upon the success of the original series, and a variety of karate kid spinoff movies have been released, along with the new and hugely popular Cobra Kai series on Netflix. Many younger readers’ primary interaction with the Karate Kid series might be through those mediums.
However, we would encourage you to watch the originals because you can’t beat the classics! Each of the quotes below is from the original three movies, so if you are younger and find that you don’t realize many of the quotes, that might be why! Who knows? Maybe after reading the quotes, you might want to jump right in and see what all the fuss is about.
What this article looks to do is provide you with over 30 Karate Kid classic quotes that will bring back all kinds of memories! So let’s jump in and get started:
1. “Sometimes What Heart Know, Head Forget.” -‘The Karate Kid Part II.’
2. “First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel-san.” -‘The Karate Kid.
3. “You lower than dog!” -Sato, ‘The Karate Kid Part II.’
4. “Oh then who left the application, the tooth fairy huh?” -Daniel Larusso, ‘The Karate Kid Part III.’
5. “Live or die man.” -Daniel Larusso, ‘The Karate Kid Part II.’
6. “Daniel Larusso: Well, I figured you knew about this stuff. I figured you went to these before. Oh great, I’m dead. I am dead. You told me you fought a lot.
Miyagi: For life, not for points.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
7. “Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.” -Cobra Kai motto, ‘The Karate Kid.’
8. “You know, this is the 80s, Mr. Miyagi. You can’t be so damn passive!” -Daniel Larusso, ‘The Karate Kid Part III.’
9. “Get him a body bag….yeah!” -Rob, ‘The Karate Kid.’
10. “Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?” -John Kreese on the Cobra Kai dojo, ‘The Karate Kid.’
11. “Only root karate come from Miyagi. Just like bonsai choose own way grow because root strong you choose own way do karate same reason.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
12. “If karate used defend honor, defend life, karate mean something. If karate used defend plastic metal trophy, karate no mean nothing.” -‘The Karate Kid Part III.’
13. Better learn balance….Balance is key…Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?” -‘The Karate Kid.’
14. “Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk in the middle, sooner or later you get squish just like grape.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
15. “Man who catch fly with chopstick….accomplish anything.” -‘The Karate Kid Part II.’
16. “Small price to pay for your honor!!” -‘The Karate Kid Part II.’
17. No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher.” -‘The Karate Kid.
18. “Oi, you stay focused, Daniel San, your best Karate still inside of you! Now time let out!” -‘The Karate Kid Part III.
19. “Here are the 2 Rules of Miyagi-Ryu Karate. Rule Number 1: ‘Karate for defense only.’ Rule Number 2: ‘First learn rule number 1.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
20. “This not tournament. This for real.” -‘The Karate Kid Part III.’
21. License never replace eye, ear and brain.” -‘The Karate Kid.
22. “Learn balance Daniel san… Wax-on… Wax-off.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
23. Trust the quality of what you know, not quantity.” -‘The Karate Kid.
24. “We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn. I say, you do, no questions.’ -‘The Karate Kid.’
25. “Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
26. Never trust spiritual leader who cannot dance.” -‘The Karate Kid Part III.
27. “Daniel-San, lie become truth only if person wanna believe it.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
28. “Miyagi: Oh, Daniel-san, you too much by self, not good.
Daniel Larusso: I’m not by myself, I’m with you.
Miyagi: To make honey, young bee need young flower…not old prune.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
29. Never put passion in front of principle, even if you win, you’ll lose.” -‘The Karate Kid Part II.
30. “Daniel Larusso: You could have killed him, couldn’t you? Mr. Miyagi: Hai.
Daniel Larusso: Well, why didn’t you?
Mr. Miyagi: Because Daniel, for man with no forgiveness in heart, life worse punishment than death.” -‘The Karate Kid Part II.
31. “Daniel Larusso: All right, so what are the rules here?
Miyagi: Don’t know. First time you, first time me.” -‘The Karate Kid.’
32. “Daniel Larusso: You think you could break a log like that?
Miyagi: Don’t know. Never been attacked by a tree.” – ‘The Karate Kid Part II.’