Witty quotes that make you chuckle without thinking

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.

Have you ever found yourself smirking when you come across a quote that cuts to the essence of life? Great figures from various fields have left us not only weighty words, but also plenty of humorous and witty quotations.

These are the lines that remind us—often with a touch of cynical laughter—of life’s truths we know in our heads but tend to forget.

In this article, we introduce entertaining quotes that capture the essence of life—ones you’ll want to share with someone.

They’re sure to enrich your outlook on life, with a little chuckle along the way.

Quotations that get to the essence of life (1–10)

Cinderella was able to become happy because she went out at night.Hideo Higashikokubaru

Mr.

Hideo Higashikokubaru made his name as Beat Takeshi’s top apprentice, performing under the stage name Sonomanma Higashi.

After serving as governor of Miyazaki Prefecture, he became best known as a commentator.

The following words convey his way of thinking and the importance of taking action.

Although the phrase “nightlife” can carry a negative connotation, these words express the idea that stepping into an environment different from your usual one is what truly matters.

Precisely because these are the words of someone who transitioned from entertainer to politician, they powerfully communicate the importance of having the courage to change your surroundings.

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kappamaki

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The only place where success comes before effort is in the dictionary.Vidal Sassoon

Vidal Sassoon, known as a hairdresser and entrepreneur, is memorable for the brand that bears his name.

This is a thought-provoking quote from that great entrepreneur about the relationship between effort and success.

It conveys clearly—by contrasting it with something familiar—that effort is necessary to reach success.

At first glance, the dictionary example might seem unrelated to real effort, but precisely because it makes you think “I see” through that analogy, the message comes across so directly.

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kappamaki

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If you don’t eat in moderation, even a cook will turn into someone who poisons people.Voltaire

Voltaire, who was active as a philosopher in France, is regarded as a leading figure of the Enlightenment among philosophers.

This famous quote, from such a philosopher, speaks to an area that might seem unrelated to philosophy: the idea of moderation.

It expresses the notion that if we don’t keep our eating in check, it can harm our health—the outcome can be as if the cook who was supposed to serve delicious food ended up bearing poison.

It teaches us that it’s important to determine the right amount in everything; overdoing things can lead to bad results.

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kappamaki

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Quotes that pierce the essence of life (11–20)

If I say I prefer cats to dogs, it’s because there’s no such thing as a police cat.Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau, the French artist, drew attention for his wide-ranging activities as a novelist, painter, and film director.

The following is a remark by this man—often called a “department store of the arts”—in which he speaks about his affection for cats from a unique perspective.

He says he prefers cats to dogs precisely because there is no such thing as a ‘police cat,’ a distinctive expression that conveys both his love for cats and his resentment toward the police.

The fact that he doesn’t express his love for cats straightforwardly also clearly reveals a contrarian, somewhat twisted side to his character.

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kappamaki

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Alcohol may be humanity’s greatest enemy. But the Bible says, “Love your enemies.”Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra, who was active not only as a singer but also as an actor, influenced many musicians.

This is a famous, lighthearted quote by a figure remembered as one of the quintessential American singers of the 20th century, expressing his relationship with alcohol.

He argues, with playful sophistry, that while alcohol can lead to mistakes and at times be an enemy, the Bible says “Love your enemies,” and therefore alcohol is something to be loved.

It conveys an optimistic stance that no matter how many mistakes one makes, people just can’t quit drinking.

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kappamaki

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People who aren’t very smart criticize anything they don’t understand.François de La Rochefoucauld

Words from François de La Rochefoucauld, a French aristocrat and moralist writer who authored Maxims.

He sharply rebukes people who dismiss what they cannot do or do not understand as “trivial” or “worthless,” and shut their minds—calling them “not clever.” In an age when the internet is flooded with opinions that assume one’s own standards are the only correct ones, his words strike a nerve.

Let’s keep them in mind and strive to listen to diverse viewpoints with openness and a flexible, generous heart.

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hiyori

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Among those renowned for bravery, some were simply afraid to run away.Thomas Fuller

Are the brave people who are admired as “truly remarkable” by those around them actually courageous all the way down, to the very roots of their hearts? The one who boldly said, “No, not necessarily,” was Thomas Fuller, a 17th-century English historian and clergyman.

He suggested that there are those who “were simply too afraid to run away and thus had no choice but to act.” It makes us realize that even when someone appears brave, the path that led them there can vary widely.

Even so, the fact that they managed to take courageous action is something that deserves praise, isn’t it?

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Hane Keisuke

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