Miyagi Quotes in The Karate Kid (1984)

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

Miyagi: Canvas. JC Penney, $3.98. You like?

Daniel: [laughs] No, I meant...

Miyagi: In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants.

[laughs; then, seriously]

Miyagi: Daniel-san...

[taps his head]

Miyagi: Karate here.

[taps his heart]

Miyagi: Karate here.

[points to his belt]

Miyagi: Karate never here. Understand?

Daniel: Hey - you ever get into fights when you were a kid?

Miyagi: Huh - plenty.

Daniel: Yeah, but it wasn't like the problem I have, right?

Miyagi: Why? Fighting fighting. Same same.

Daniel: Yeah, but you knew karate.

Miyagi: Someone always know more.

Daniel: You mean there were times when you were scared to fight?

Miyagi: Always scare. Miyagi hate fighting.

Daniel: Yeah, but you like karate.

Miyagi: So?

Daniel: So, karate's fighting. You train to fight.

Miyagi: That what you think?

Daniel: [pondering] No.

Miyagi: Then why train?

Daniel: [thinks] So I won't have to fight.

Miyagi: [laughs] Miyagi have hope for you.

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

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

Miyagi: Ah ah! Remember deal! No questions!

Daniel: Yeah, but...

Miyagi: Hai!

[makes circular gestures with each hand]

Miyagi: Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important.

[walks away, still making circular motions with hands]

Miyagi: Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off.

Miyagi: Karate come from China, sixteenth century, called te, "hand." Hundred year later, Miyagi ancestor bring to Okinawa, call *kara*-te, "empty hand."

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

Miyagi: You too much TV.

Miyagi: Your friend, all karate student, eh?

Daniel: Friend? Oh, yeah, those guys.

Miyagi: Problem: attitude.

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

Miyagi: Hai, because boys have bad attitude. Karate for defense only.

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

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.

Miyagi: Now use head for something other than target.

Miyagi: Go, find balance.

[chuckles]

Daniel: [starts to drive away]

Miyagi: Banzai, Daniel-san.

Daniel: Hey, banzai!

Miyagi: [beat; then, louder] Banzai!

Daniel: [louder] Banzai!

Miyagi: [shouts] Banzai!

Daniel: [shouts back] Banzai!

Miyagi: [Daniel is practicing karate moves while balancing on a fishing boat as Miyagi fishes] Make block. Left, right. Up, down. Side, side. Breathe in, breathe out. And no scare fish.

Miyagi: Now, ready?

Daniel: Yeah, I guess so.

Miyagi: [sighs] Daniel-san, must talk.

[they both kneel]

Miyagi: Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later

[makes squish gesture]

Miyagi: get squish just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do "yes" or karate do "no." You karate do "guess so,"

[makes squish gesture]

Miyagi: just like grape. Understand?

Daniel: Yeah, I understand.

Miyagi: Now, ready?

Daniel: Yeah, I'm ready.

[Daniel, Miyagi and Ali are trying to get onto the tournament floor together]

Official: Hold it!

Official: [to Ali] Sorry, teachers and students only.

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

Miyagi: [says something in Japanese]

Official: What did he say?

Ali: He says that, uh, you remind him of an uncle he has back in Tokyo.

Official: [smiles] I guess it's okay.

Miyagi: [says something in Japanese]

Official: What?

Ali: He says you're very kind.

Official: Thank you.

Miyagi: Welcome.

[Miyagi karate-chops the tops off three beer bottles]

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

Miyagi: Don't know. First time.

[Daniel is about to have his first match in the tournament]

Daniel: All right, so what are the rules here?

Miyagi: Don't know. First time you, first time me.

Daniel: 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.

Kreese: [at the Cobra Kai dojo] Class, we have visitors. Fall in behind me. Hai!

[approaches Daniel and Miyagi, then speaks to Miyagi]

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

Miyagi: Afraid facts mixed up.

Kreese: You calling Mr. Lawrence a liar?

Miyagi: No call no one nothing.

Kreese: What are you here for, old man?

Miyagi: Come ask leave boy alone.

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

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

Kreese: Is that what's bothering you? The odds? Well, we can fix that. Feel like matching, Mr. Lawrence?

Johnny Lawrence: Yes, sensei!

Miyagi: No more fighting.

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

Miyagi: Too much advantage. Your dojo.

Kreese: Name a place.

Miyagi: Tournament.

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

Johnny Lawrence: Yes, sensei.

Kreese: Fall in.

[Johnny turns and leaves]

Miyagi: Ask one more small request.

Kreese: Make it fast.

Miyagi: Ask leave boy alone to train.

Kreese: 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?

[class responds with "YES SENSEI!"]

Kreese: But if you don't show, it's open season on him... and you.

[they nod at each other]

Miyagi: [Miyagi returns from fishing as Daniel is painting the house] Oh, miss spot.

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

Miyagi: You not here when I go.

Daniel: Well, maybe I wanted to go, you ever think of that?

Miyagi: You karate training.

Daniel: I'm *what*? I'm bein' your goddamn *slave* is what I'm bein' here man, now c'mon we made a deal here!

Miyagi: So?

Daniel: So? So, you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn! For 4 days I've been bustin' my ass, and haven't learned a goddamn thing!

Miyagi: You learn plenty.

Daniel: I learn plenty, yeah, I learned how to sand your decks maybe. I washed your car, paint your house, paint your fence. I learn plenty!

Miyagi: Ah, not everything is as seems...

Daniel: Oh, bullshit! I'm goin' home, man!

[Daniel turns to walk away]

Miyagi: Daniel-san! Daniel-san!

Daniel: What?

Miyagi: Come here.

Daniel: Wouldn't a fly swatter be easier?

Miyagi: Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything.

Daniel: Ever catch one?

Miyagi: Not yet.

Daniel: [after seeing Miyagi practice the crane technique] Could you teach me?

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

Daniel: Where'd you learn it from?

Miyagi: Father teach.

Daniel: You musta had some father, man.

Miyagi: Oh yes.

[some drunks were drinking and setting their beer bottles on Mr. Miyagi's truck]

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

Yahoo at Beach: Kindly do it yourself, Mr. Moto.

Daniel: When do I learn how to punch?

Miyagi: Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?

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

Miyagi: You... pretty okay, too.

Daniel: Hey, where did these old cars come from?

Miyagi: Detroit.

Miyagi: Wax on... wax off. Wax on... wax off.

Miyagi: [teaching Daniel to punch, wearing a catcher's mask and pads] Daniel-san. Secret to punch, make the power of whole body fit inside one inch, here.

[points to Daniel's closed fist]

Miyagi: Power, whole body, one inch, here. Now, punch. Hard.

[Daniel punches Miyagi in the chest, weakly]

Miyagi: What'sa matter, you some kind of girl or something?

[makes punching gesture]

Miyagi: Punch! Drive a punch! Not just arm, whole body! Hip, leg, drive a punch! Make "kiai." Kiai! Kiai! Give you power. Now, try punch.

[Miyagi prompts, Daniel punches Miyagi harder]

Miyagi, Daniel: Kiai!

Miyagi: Once more.

Miyagi, Daniel: [Miyagi prompts again, Daniel punches again, even harder] Kiai!

Miyagi: Once more.

Miyagi, Daniel: [prompt, punches again, harder] Kiai!

Miyagi, Daniel: [prompt, punch again] Kiai!

Miyagi: Very good, Daniel-san!

Miyagi, Daniel: [repeated action] Kiai! Kiai!

Daniel: [starts hopping] Hey, pretty good, huh? Kiai!

Daniel: [spinning arm, fancy footwork] Hey, look at this, Miyagi. Kiai!

Miyagi: Matte- mat-matte.

Daniel: [punching becoming less effective] Kiai! Kiai!

Miyagi: Wait-wait, Daniel-san.

Daniel: [mockingly punches Miyagi while continuing to bunny-hop] Kiai! Kiai!

Miyagi: [trying to get him to stop] Ch-ch-ch-chotto

Daniel: [dancing around very quickly and still playfully punching Miyagi] Hey, what do you think, Mr. Miyagi, huh?

Miyagi: [takes Daniel down by hooking his legs with his, then giving him a chop] I tell you what Miyagi think! I think you *dance around* too much! I think you *talk* too much! I think you not concentrate enough! Lots of work to be done! Tournament just around the corner! Come. Stand up! Now, ready. Concentrate. Focus power.

Miyagi: [drunk] Banzai!

Daniel: [totally confused] To baby trees.

Miyagi: Not bonsai, BANZAI!

Daniel: [practicing blocks in Mr. Miyagi's boat] When am I gonna learn how to punch?

Miyagi: Learn how punch, after you learn how keep dry!

[rocks boat, throwing Daniel into the water]

Daniel: I don't know if I know enough karate.

Miyagi: Feeling correct.

Daniel: You sure know how to make a guy feel confident.

Miyagi: You trust the quality of what you know, not quantity.

Daniel: I'm not by myself. I'm with you.

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

Miyagi: [on Daniel's birthday, after having already given him a present] Go outside. Something show you.

Daniel: What?

Miyagi: Number two present.

[leads Daniel outside]

Daniel: [walking and talking] Number two present? You don't have to give me anything. You've given me enough already.

[Miyagi keeps walking, silently]

Daniel: No really, I'm serious.

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

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

Miyagi: Hai! Hurt old man feeling.

[points again]

Miyagi: Choose.

Miyagi: We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn. I say, you do, no questions.

Daniel: I can't believe this. I cannot believe this.

Miyagi: What?

Daniel: What you just got me into in there.

Miyagi: Huh?

Daniel: You said you were going to make things better for me.

Miyagi: But I did.

Daniel: How?

Miyagi: How? Just saved you two months beating.

Daniel: Oh great now I really have something to look forward to.

Miyagi: [Daniel has just gotten his driver's license and Miyagi has given him a car for his birthday] Just remember, license never replace eye, ear, and brain.

[notices Daniel has suddenly gotten quiet]

Miyagi: What matter?

Daniel: I'm just scared. The tournament and everything.

Miyagi: You remember lesson about balance?

Daniel: Yeah.

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

Miyagi: Oh, Daniel-san! You all wet behind ear!

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.

Miyagi: Now use head for something other than target.

Daniel: Hey, I was just kidding about that.

Miyagi: Why kidding?

Daniel: Because I'd get killed if I go down there.

Miyagi: Get killed anyway.

Daniel: Why didn't you tell me?

Miyagi: Tell what?

Daniel: That you knew karate.

Miyagi: You not ask.

Daniel: Well, where'd you learn it?

Miyagi: Father.

Daniel: But I thought he was a fisherman.

Miyagi: In Okinawa, all Miyagi know two things: fish and karate.

Daniel: Where am I, this ring over here?

Miyagi: Hai. Number three.

Daniel: What's that guy kneeling like that for?

Miyagi: Don't know.

Daniel: Don't you know anything you can tell me?

Miyagi: Hai. No get hit.

Miyagi: [repeated line to Daniel] Look eye!, always look eye!

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

Miyagi: [interrupting] Mi... ya... *gi* understand problem perfect.

Miyagi: [Daniel walks into Mr.Myagi's house and sits right next to Mr.Myagi, who is actually drunk] Ah, Daniel-san, come inside! Come inside!

[Miyagi shows Daniel an old photo of his pregnant wife]

Miyagi: Daniel-san. Huh? Look, look. Hai, hai. Heh heh heh. First American-born Miyagi waiting to be born.

[Miyagi laughs proudly at the accomplishment as he pours more alcohol from a new bottle into his glass]

Miyagi: [claps Daniel on the shoulder] Drink, drink!

[Miyagi stands up, staggers, faces away from Daniel as if speaking to someone else]

Miyagi: [as commanding officer] "Sergeant Miyagi!"

Miyagi: [as self] Yes, sir! Sergeant Miyagi report to kill many jerry Germans, sir!

[Miyagi laughs, staggers toward the bed, and picks up an old telegram]

Miyagi: Sergeant Miyagi.

Miyagi: Yes, sir."

Miyagi: Regret to inform... wife have...

Miyagi: [starts crying] Complications at birth, sir. Complications. But no doctor come.

Miyagi: [groan of immense sorrow] Land of Free, Home of Brave.

Miyagi: [sobbing] No doctor come. No doctor come.

Miyagi: Daniel-san, never put passion before principle. Even if win, you lose.

[Walking through the Okinawa airport, Daniel and Miyagi find a poster advertising Sato's karate school. The poster shows Sato breaking a log with his bare hands]

Daniel: Hey can you break a log like that?

Miyagi: Don't know. Never been attacked by tree.

Daniel: Doesn't that bother you?

Miyagi: Why should it?

Daniel: Well the people may believe it's true or something.

Miyagi: Daniel-san, lie become truth only if person wanna believe it.

Daniel: Is that another old okinawan saying?

Miyagi: No. New Okinawa saying.

Daniel: How new?

Miyagi: hmmmm...

Miyagi: [pauses, pretending to think]

Miyagi: 'bout ten second

Daniel: [presenting Miyagi with a rosewood display case, obviously for Miyagi's WW2 medals] I got something for you here... see, it's rosewood. For your medals. I thought it'd be nice to... like, show 'em off or something.

Miyagi: Why, Daniel-san... Thank you for gift. But why show off?

Daniel: Well, you know, winning the Medal of Honor and all... It says something about you. Like, you're brave. And all that stuff.

Miyagi: [puts hand to Daniel's chest] THIS say you brave.

[motions to medal]

Miyagi: This say you LUCKY.

Daniel: Just what did you do to earn this, anyhow?

Miyagi: ...Not important anymore.

Daniel: ...Was it scary for you?

Miyagi: ...Miyagi knees no stop shaking for whole week after.

Daniel: ...Did you have to kill a lot of people or something?

Miyagi: Hai, unfortunately.

Daniel: But they were, like, the enemy... weren't they?

Miyagi: They were also PEOPLE, Danielsan.