The Karate Kid (1984) - Quotes

Taglines: Only the "Old One" could teach him the secrets of masters.

Taglines: He taught him the secret to karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.

Referee: Winner!

Ring Announcer: The new champion! Daniel LaRusso!

Lucille: Oh, Daniel!

Ali: All right!

Johnny: You're all right, Larusso, Good match!

Daniel: [whoops; whoops victoriously] Thanks a lot! Hey! Hey, Mr. Miyagi! We did it, We did it! All right!

John Kreese: [about Daniel's injured leg] Sweep the leg.

John Kreese: Do you have a problem with that?

Johnny Lawrence: No, Sensei.

John Kreese: No mercy.

John Kreese: Bobby, I want him out of commission.

Bobby Brown: But, Sensei, I can beat this guy!

John Kreese: I don't want him beaten.

Bobby Brown: But I'll be disqualified!

John Kreese: Out of commission.

Official: Hold it. Only teachers and students on the competition floor. I'm sorry.

Daniel: Oh, but he doesn't speak English and I can't understand his instructions without her. She's his translator.

Official: What did he say?

Ali: He said you reminded him of an uncle of his in Tokyo.

Official: [flattered] Well, I guess it is all right.

Official: What's that?

Ali: He says you're very kind.

Official: Thank you.

Mr. Miyagi: Welcome.

Daniel: You're the best friend I've ever had!

Mr. Miyagi: [chuckles] You... pretty OK, too. Go, find balance.

Mr. Miyagi: Banzai, Daniel-san!

Daniel: Hey, banzai!

Mr. Miyagi: [beat; then; louder] Banzai!

Daniel: [louder] Banzai!

Mr. Miyagi: [shouts] Banzai!

Daniel: [shouts back] Banzai!

Daniel: I'm just scared. You know, the tournament and everything...

Mr. Miyagi: You remember lesson about balance?

Daniel: Yeah.

Mr. Miyagi: Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better.

Mr. Miyagi: [on Daniel's birthday, after having already given him his present, the karate gi he will wear at the tournament] Go outside. Something show you.

Daniel: What?

Mr. Miyagi: [leads Daniel outside] Number two present.

Daniel: [walking and talking; Miyagi keeps walking, silently] Number two present? You don't have to give me anything. You've given me enough already. No really, I'm serious.

Mr. Miyagi: [stops and points to his fleet of antique cars] Choose.

Daniel: [surprised and hesitant] Oh, no...

Mr. Miyagi: [points again] Hai! Hurt old man feeling. Choose.

Daniel: What were you doing on those stumps over there?

Mr. Miyagi: Called crane technique.

Daniel: Does it work?

Mr. Miyagi: If do right, no can defense.

Daniel: Could you teach me?

Mr. Miyagi: First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel-san, not mine.

Daniel: Where did you learn it from?

Mr. Miyagi: Father teach.

Daniel: You must have had some father, man

Mr. Miyagi: Oh, yes.

Mr. Miyagi: Excuse me, please. Boy cold. Must leave. Kindly remove bottles.

Drunk: Kindly do it yourself, Mr. Moto!

Daniel: How did you do that? How did you do that?

Mr. Miyagi: Don't know. First time.

Mr. Miyagi: Oop. Miss spot.

Daniel: What spot? Hey, how come you didn't tell me you were going fishing?

Mr. Miyagi: You not here when I go.

Daniel: Maybe I would've like to have gone. You ever think about that?

Mr. Miyagi: You karate training.

Daniel: I'm WHAT?! I'm being your goddamn slave man is what I'm being! Now we made a deal here.

Mr. Miyagi: So?

Daniel: So? So you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn remember? For four days, I've been busting my ass and I haven't learned a goddamn thing!

Mr. Miyagi: Hah, learn plenty!

Daniel: I've learned plenty! I've learned how to sand your decks maybe! How about wash your cars, paint your house, paint your fence. I've learned plenty!

Mr. Miyagi: Oh, Daniel-san not everything is as seems.

Daniel: Oh bullshit! I'm going home man!

Mr. Miyagi: Daniel-san! DANIEL-SAN!!

Daniel: What?

Mr. Miyagi: Show me sand-the-floor.

Daniel: [Mr. Miyagi claps then rubs his hands quickly; Mr. Miyagi starts massaging Daniel's arm] I can't move my arm, alright? What are you doing? What? Ow! Ow, what are you doing?

Mr. Miyagi: Now show me sand-the-floor.

Daniel: How did you do that?

Mr. Miyagi: SHOW!

Daniel: Wouldn't a fly swatter be easier?

Mr. Miyagi: Man who catch fly with chopsticks accomplish anything.

Daniel: Ever catch one?

Mr. Miyagi: Not yet.

Mr. Miyagi: Now, ready?

Daniel: Yeah, I guess so.

Mr. Miyagi: [sighs; they both kneel; makes squish gesture; makes squish gesture] Daniel-san, must talk. Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, get squished, just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do "yes", or karate do "no". You karate do "guess so", just like grape. Understand?

Daniel: Yeah, I understand.

Mr. Miyagi: Now, ready?

Daniel: [he and Mr Miyagi stand up again] Yeah, I'm ready.

Mr. Miyagi: [Daniel scratches his nose, whilst Miyagi puts the bandana on Daniel's forehead; turns Daniel around; ties one knot in the bandana; ties another knot in the bandana; Daniel turns around again] First make sacred pact. I promise teach karate. That my part. You promise learn. I say, you do, no questions. That your part. Deal?

Daniel: [he holds his right hand out, as though expecting Miyagi to shake it. Instead, Miyagi bends down, takes the sponge out of the bucket, straightens up and thrusts the sponge into Daniel's outstretched hand] It's a deal.

Mr. Miyagi: First, wash all the car. Then wax. Wax on...

Daniel: Hey, why do I have to...?

Mr. Miyagi: Ah ah! Remember deal! No questions!

Daniel: Yeah, but...

Mr. Miyagi: [makes circular gestures with each hand; walks away, still making circular motions with hands] Hai! Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out of mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important. Wax on... wax off. Wax on... wax off.

Daniel: Hey, where did these cars come from?

Mr. Miyagi: [stops walking, turns around; turns around, resumes walking away, still muttering "Wax on, wax off" to himself and making circular gestures with his hands as he walks] Detroit!

Mr. Miyagi: Fighting always last answer to problem.

Daniel: No offense, Mr Miyajee, but I don't think you understand my problem...

Mr. Miyagi: [interrupting] Mi... ya... gi... understand problem perfect. Your friend, all karate student, eh?

Daniel: Friend? Oh, yeah, those guys.

Mr. Miyagi: Problem: attitude.

Daniel: No the problem is, I'm getting my ass kicked every other day, that's the problem.

Mr. Miyagi: Because boys have bad attitude. Karate for defense only.

Daniel: That's not what these guys are taught.

Mr. Miyagi: Hai - can see. No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do.

Daniel: Oh, great, that solves everything for me. I'll just go down to the school and straighten it out with the teacher, no problem.

Mr. Miyagi: Now use head for something other than target, Daniel-san.

Daniel: I was only kidding.

Mr. Miyagi: Why?

Daniel: Because I'd get killed if I showed up there.

Mr. Miyagi: Get killed anyway.

Daniel: Would you go with me?

Mr. Miyagi: No can do.

Daniel: Why? You said it was a good idea.

Mr. Miyagi: For you, good idea. For me, good idea no get involved.

Daniel: But you're already involved.

Mr. Miyagi: Very sorry.

Daniel: Well thanks for nothing then! Thanks for nothing. Like I didn't have enough problems already. Now I gotta carry your weight too. Thanks. Don't do me any more favors pal alright?

Mr. Miyagi: Daniel-san.

Daniel: What?

Mr. Miyagi: OK, I go.

Daniel: Oh thanks! Thanks Mr. Miyajee.

Mr. Miyagi: Miyagi.

Daniel: Miyagi. Hey, what kind of belt do you have?

Mr. Miyagi: [laughs] Canvas. J.C. Penney. $3.98. You like?

Daniel: No, I meant...

Mr. Miyagi: [laughs; then, seriously; taps his head; taps his heart; points to his belt] In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants. Daniel-san, karate here. Karate here. Karate never here. Understand?

Daniel: I think so.

Mr. Miyagi: Good night, Daniel-san.

Daniel: Good night, Mr. Miyajee. Miyagi! Miyagi. Tomorrow morning?

Mr. Miyagi: Ten o'clock.

John Kreese: [notices Johnny staring at Daniel and Mr. Miyagi] We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition. A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy- what is the problem, Mr. Lawrence?

John Kreese: I hear you jumped some of my students last night.

Mr. Miyagi: Afraid the facts mixed up.

John Kreese: Are you calling Mr. Lawrence a liar?

Mr. Miyagi: No call no one nothing.

John Kreese: What are you here for, old man?

Mr. Miyagi: Come ask leave boy alone.

John Kreese: What's the matter? The boy can't take care of his own problems?

Mr. Miyagi: One to one problem, yes. Five to one problem, too much ask anyone.

John Kreese: [to Johnny] Is that what's bothering you? The odds? Well, we can fix that. You like matching, Mr. Lawrence?

Johnny Lawrence: [eagerly] Yes, Sensei!

Mr. Miyagi: [groans] No more fighting.

John Kreese: [getting angry] This is a karate dojo, not a knitting class! You don't come into my dojo and drop a challenge and leave, old man. Now, you get your boy on the mat or you and I will have a major problem.

Mr. Miyagi: Too much advantage, your dojo.

John Kreese: Name a place.

Mr. Miyagi: [gestures with his head to the poster behind him for the All-Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament] Tournament.

John Kreese: [chuckles] You've got real nerve, old man. Real nerve. But I think we can accommodate you. Can't we, Mr. Lawrence?

Johnny Lawrence: Yes, Sensei.

John Kreese: [Johnny gets back in line] Fall in.

Mr. Miyagi: Ask one more small request.

John Kreese: [stops, annoyed] Make it fast.

Mr. Miyagi: Ask leave boy alone, to train.

John Kreese: [chuckles; to his students] You're a pushy little bastard, ain't ya? But I like that. I like that! All right, no one touches the prima donna until the tournament. Is that understood?

Cobra Kai students: YES, SENSEI!

John Kreese: [menacingly approaches Miyagi and Daniel again; points at Daniel; points at Miyagi] But you don't show, and it's open season, on him ... and you .

Daniel: How come you didn't tell me?

Mr. Miyagi: Tell you what?

Daniel: That you knew karate?

Mr. Miyagi: You never ask?

Daniel: Well, where did you learn it?

Mr. Miyagi: Father.

Daniel: But I thought he was a fisherman.

Mr. Miyagi: In Okinawa, all Miyagi know two things: fish and karate. Karate come from China, sixteenth century, called te, "hand". Hundred year later, Miyagi ancestor bring to Okinawa, call karate. "empty hand".

Daniel: I always thought it came from Buddhist temples and stuff like that.

Mr. Miyagi: You watch too much TV.

Daniel: That what my mother tells me.

Dutch: Looking for a shortcut back to Newark, Daniel?

Johnny: No, he wants to learn karate! Well, here's your first lesson: how to take a fall!

Dutch: Don't think about the pain.

Daniel: This damn bike. I hate this bike. I hate this frigging bike. This stupid bike! I hate it! Stupid bike.

Lucille: Daniel! What's the matter?

Daniel: NOTHING!

Lucille: Why did you throw your bike away?

Daniel: Because I felt like it, Mum.

Lucille: Please look at me when I'm talking to you (sees Daniel's bruises) Oh my god! Can you tell me what's going on? And don't tell me about another bike accident!

Daniel: What do you want to hear, ma?

Lucille: The truth is-

Daniel: No you don't want to hear the truth. All you want to hear is how great it is. Well, it may be great to you but it SUCKS for me! I hate this place! I HATE IT!! I just want to go home! Why can't we just go back home?

Lucille: Listen to me, I cannot help you unless you tell me what's wrong!

Daniel: I gotta take karate lessons.

Lucille: You took karate!

Daniel: No, not at the Y at a good school.

Lucille: But, fighting doesn't solve anything Daniel.

Daniel: Well, neither does palm trees, ma.

Lucille: That's not fair!

Daniel: Like it was fair coming over here without asking me how I felt about it. Right, that was really fair.

Lucille: You're right. I should've asked.

Daniel: Yeah, well, I just wanna go home. That's it. I don't understand the rules here and I want to go home.

Lucille: Let's clean you up and maybe we can figure out the rules here together. What about your bike?

Daniel: It's safer taking a bus. Why can't we just go home? Why can't we just go home and forget this place?

John Kreese: Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?

John Kreese: Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?

John Kreese: Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?

John Kreese: Prepare! What do we study here?

John Kreese: And what is that Way?

John Kreese: I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Cobra Kai: STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY, SIR!

Bobby Brown: (to Dutch) Leave him (Daniel) alone man, he's had enough!

Dutch: Shut up, Bobby!

Bobby Brown: Look at him, Dutch. He can't even stand up!

Dutch: So what?! THAT DON'T MEAN SQUAT!

Bobby Brown: Johnny! (still to Johnny and pointing at Johnny) Leave him (Daniel) alone, man, he's had enough!

Johnny Lawrence: I'll decide when he's had enough, man!

Bobby Brown: What is wrong with you, Johnny!

Johnny Lawrence: AN ENEMY DESERVES NO MERCY!

Dutch: (to Johnny) RIGHT!

Johnny Lawrence: RIGHT!

Dutch: RIGHT!

Bobby Brown: (to Johnny) You're crazy, man!

Bobby Brown: [slaps him with his hand] Tommy!

Tommy: [also slaps him with his hand] Bobby! Get him!

Lucille: California, here we come! California...oh, what is the matter, Daniel? You don't like my singing?

Daniel: I don't like the song, Ma.

Lucille: This is it, Daniel, end of the line!

Daniel: You're telling me.

Lucille: Will you look at those palm trees? Damn Daniel! You know what this means?

Daniel: Yeah. Watch out for falling coconuts.

Freddy: Hey, are you new here?

Daniel: Yeah, I came from Newark, New Jersey. My name's Daniel LaRusso.

Freddy: [offers a handshake to Daniel] I'm Freddy Fernandez. Welcome to California. Hey, we were having an end-of-summer clambake on the beach tomorrow night, want to come?

Daniel: Sure!

Woman: This place is a dump. You should return to Newark!

Daniel: How did you know I was from Newark?

Woman: I overheard your conversation with Freddy. I'm a Jersey girl myself, from Parsippany. I never should have left.

Daniel: Parsippany? I got an Uncle Louie from Parsippany!

Woman: Louis Fontini?

Daniel: No, Louie LaRusso.

Woman: Don't know him.

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: [about Kreese's methods] That is not karate. That bad man teach bad things.

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: First learn balance. Balance good, karate good, everything good. Balance bad, might as well pack up, go home.

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune.

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: [repeated line to Daniel] Look eye! Always look eye!

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: Daniel-san, you look revenge that way you start by digging two grave!

Mr. Hideo Miyagi: Daniel-san, you much humor!