The 15 Best (& Most Inspirational) Kung Fu Panda Quotes

The Kung Fu Panda franchise is filled with funny, heartfelt, and memorable quotes, and many of these lines also serve as inspiring lessons on confidence, respect, strength, and love. With four Kung Fu Panda movies, not to mention multiple TV shows, video games, and plenty of merchandise, the franchise is one of the more successful movie franchises in recent years, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. The backbone of this franchise comes from the heartfelt and mature story at its center, which people of all ages can identify with.

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A combination of kung fu movies and sports films, there is a lot to love about Kung Fu Panda, a movie that shows a great warrior, leader, and friend who can come from the humblest origins. Kung Fu Panda‘s cast of voice actors includes some major Hollywood stars capable of imbuing the dialogue with sincerity and power, even after they just cracked a joke about dumplings. The strength of the cast mixed with an insightful script means that Kung Fu Panda is filled with some amazing, poignant, and incredibly inspirational quotes across its four films.

15 There Is A Saying: Yesterday Is History, Tomorrow Is A Mystery, But Today Is A Gift. That Is Why It Is Called The Present.

Oogway (Kung Fu Panda)

Master Oogway talking to someone in Kung Fu Panda

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This quote by Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) is said to Po (Jack Black) when he doubts his selection as the Dragon Warrior. Oogway reminds Po not to worry about anything but the present. It’s an inspirational message about mindfulness and taking stock of life when anxieties threaten to overwhelm. There is no way to know what tomorrow brings; the past is in the past; but the present is here, and it’s where one’s focus should be. Oogway’s case for mindfulness is a relevant and inspiring one.

14 Your Story May Not Have Such A Happy Beginning, But That Doesn’t Make You Who You Are. It Is The Rest Of Your Story, Who You Choose To Be.

Soothsayer (Kung Fu Panda 2)

The Soothsayer talking to Po in Kung Fu Panda 2

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When the Soothsayer reminds Po that he doesn’t have to let his difficult past determine his future, she also implies that everyone can determine who they want to be. The story is theirs to tell, not anyone else’s. It can be hard to let go of the past and plenty of people live their entire lives desperately holding on to it out of fear of forgetting it. Sometimes it’s good to forget the bad parts of the past, and not let those shape one’s future. It’s an inspirational message for anyone who is struggling to determine their own path forward.

13 If You Only Do What You Can Do, You’ll Never Be Better Than What You Are.

Shifu (Kung Fu Panda 3)

Shifu smiles at someone off screen in Kung Fu Panda 3.

This is an inspirational quote for anyone who has given up on dreams or future successes. Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) says it to Po after Po questions him about giving Po a task that Shifu knew he would struggle with. By telling Po that he is more capable than he believes, Po realizes that his father and the pandas are also more capable than they give themselves credit for. It’s an inspiring moment that shows Shifu is never ashamed of Po for failing, he just wants to see him push himself. If he fails trying, then he’s not failing.

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12 Every Step Leaves A Footprint, No Matter How Small.

Zhen (Kung Fu Panda 4)

Zhen angrily yelling out of a cage in Kung Fu Panda 4.

Zhen (Awkwafina) yells this out as a warning to Po in Kung Fu Panda 4 when she’s captured. While it’s first thrown out as a threat, it comes to mean a lot more by the end of Kung Fu Panda 4. Zhen is small, both physically and how she sees herself in the world, particularly when compared to the legendary Po the Panda. By the end of Kung Fu Panda 4, however, it’s the tiny Zhen, forgotten about by everyone and disregarded, who becomes the most important. It’s something everyone should remember when they’re feeling small.

11 Nope. I Figured It out. Skidoosh.

Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Po about to do the Wuxi Finger Hold to Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda.
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Po rarely gets one of the “cool” kung fu moments he dreams about, so when he finally gets the action line at the end of Kung Fu Panda, the wait makes it all the more epic. The Wuxi Finger Hold is known by only a few martial arts masters, and even Tai Lung (Ian McShane) doesn’t know it. Po has become the ultimate student, learning from everyone around him, and becoming the Dragon Warrior as he was always intended to be. However, he still has tricks up his sleeve, some of which he managed to teach himself.

10 But Once I Realized The problem Was Not You, But Within Me, I Found Inner Peace And Was Able To Harness The Flow Of The Universe.

Shifu (Kung Fu Panda 2)

Shifu finding his inner peace in Kung Fu Panda 2.

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Shifu enjoys messing with Po, so in Kung Fu Panda 2, when Po visits him during his training, Shifu doesn’t miss the chance to tease his protégé. In his mystical water garden, Shifu practices channeling his inner peace and makes sure to remind Po that the panda was once his greatest source of frustration. Now, he understands the flow of the universe. It’s an inspirational message that helps Po understand how he can get past the sadness of his childhood to defeat Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), the architect of his trauma.

9 I Stayed, Because Every Time You Threw A Brick At My Head, Or Said I Smelled, It Hurt; But It Could Never Hurt More Than Every Day Of My Life Just Being Me! I Stayed Because I Thought, If Anyone Can Change Me, Can Make Me… Not Me, It Was You!

Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Po looking sad in Kung Fu Panda.

After Po gives up, with plenty of encouragement from Shifu, Shifu realizes his mistake and goes back to ask Po to train with him. Though Po seems lost, Shifu asks to know why he didn’t give up before, leading to this quote. It’s a quote that gives insight into the real character of Po. If he wants to be something, like a Dragon Warrior, he’s willing to do what it takes. It’s an inspirational lesson on commitment and faith, and though he wavers, Shifu recognizes Po’s strength and also realizes maybe he doesn’t need to change the panda.

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8 Sometimes We Do The Wrong Things For The Right Reasons.

Mr. Ping (Kung Fu Panda 3)

Mr. Ping looking at a baby poe in Kung Fu Panda 3.

In Kung Fu Panda 3, Mr. Ping (James Hong) and Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) both realize they’ve made some mistakes handling their unique relationship as Po’s fathers. Mr. Ping has some words of wisdom, absolving Li of some of the pain he holds for lying to his son. Kung Fu Panda is not a black-and-white world and even most of the villains in the franchise have a good reason for their anger. Mr. Ping knows that sometimes people can make mistakes while trying to do good, but that doesn’t make them a bad person or panda.

7 I’m Not Hungry… Master.

Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Po in Kung Fu Panda (2008)
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After the impressively staged training montage between Po and Shifu in Kung Fu Panda, Shifu finally allows Po to have a dumpling. After he succeeds in his final course, instead of eating the dumpling, Po throws it back. The meaning is clear, Po no longer needs to be driven by some outside force to be the Dragon Warrior, it was inside him all along. It’s a theme that comes back at the end of the movie and also serves as an inspirational lesson about dedication and willpower.

6 Ah, Yes. But No Matter What You Do, That Seed Will Grow To Be A Peach Tree. You May Wish For An Apple Or An Orange, But You Will Get A Peach.

Oogway (Kung Fu Panda)

Oogway and Shifu watching a peach tree in the wind in Kung Fu Panda.

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When Shifu comes to Oogway to complain about his choice for the Dragon Warrior, Oogway compares Po to a peach tree seed, reminding Shifu that no matter what he does, that seed will always grow into a peach tree. If Shifu wants to train Po, he will have to work with what he has. Shifu needed this lesson to help him realize that he could rage as much as he’d like about Po, but at the end of the day, he needed to utilize Po’s strengths to train him, not try and force him to be something different.

5 Sometimes The Greatest Dishes Come From The Most Unlikely Ingredients

Po (Kung Fu Panda 4)

Zhen hugs Po in Kung Fu Panda 4.

Po has learned a lot from Mr. Ping over the years, primarily in regard to noodle soup. However, time and time again, those lessons prove crucial and reveal some of Po’s wisdom. Zhen does not believe she can be a good person or fight in the battle against The Chameleon (Viola Davis). Po reminds her that a hero can come from anywhere, an inspiring message for anyone who has felt trivialized or that their life doesn’t hold much value. It’s this belief in Zhen that inspires her to fight against The Chameleon at the end of the film.

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4 There Are No Accidents.

Shifu (Kung Fu Panda)

Shifu holding up a cookie and smiling in Kung Fu Panda

Oogway first tells Shifu, “There are no accidents,” early in Kung Fu Panda, but Shifu waves this lesson off. It isn’t until he finds Po stealing Monkey’s (Jackie Chan) cookies that he realizes what the wise turtle really meant. There are no accidents and everything happens for a reason. That reason may not be clear right away, but if one looks hard enough, one will begin to see it. It takes time for Shifu to find out why Po wasn’t an accident, but when he does see it, he recognizes the value of Oogway’s teachings.

3 I’ve Been Asking Myself That Question. Am I The Son Of A Panda? The Son Of A Goose? A Student? A Teacher? I’m All Of Those Things.

Po (Kung Fu Panda 3)

Po as a dragon spirit getting ready to fight Kai in Kung Fun Panda 3.
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Po has an identity crisis throughout Kung Fu Panda 3 when he is reunited with his biological father. At the same time, he doesn’t feel ready to take up the mantle of teacher after being a student for so long. In his final battle with Kai (J. K. Simmons), Po stops caring about exactly what he is and comes to understand that he’s everything that has made him. He’s not just one aspect of his history or growth, he’s all of them together. Every bit of his life has contributed to the hero he is now.

2 There Is No Secret Ingredient. It’s Just You.

Po (Kung Fu Panda 3)

Po looking at himself in the Dragon Scroll in Kung Fu Panda.

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The information hidden in the Dragon Scroll is what every martial artist seeks in Kung Fu Panda. However, when Po finally reads it, he finds that there’s nothing there, just a shiny glossy metal. It takes his father to unlock the hidden meaning of the scroll, and Po comes to understand that there is no special “ingredient” that makes someone a hero, it’s just their belief in themself, an idea manifested in the mirror-like quality of the scroll. Po realizes that he always had the capacity to be great, as does anyone.

1 Change Doesn’t Have To Always Be A Bad Thing. Why Do You Think I Always Change The Menu At The Restaurant? Because If Things Stay The Same Forever, Sooner Or Later, They Would Lose Their Flavor.

Mr. Ping (Kung Fu Panda 4)

Mr. Ping chopping vegetables in Kung Fu Panda 4.

Mr. Ping once again accidentally offers some inspirational advice despite ostensibly only referring to his noodle stand. Po has been worried about becoming the Valley’s spiritual leader all film, afraid of the change. However, his father, Mr. Ping tells him that change can be good and often necessary. It’s a hard lesson to understand but one of the most inspirational quotes in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. The quote acknowledges that change can be scary, but it also signals a reason to keep on living.

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Kung Fu Panda (2008) Movie Poster Kung Fu Panda

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The Kung Fu Panda franchise is a comedic martial arts adventure series centered around the unlikely hero Po, a clumsy panda who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. With a blend of humor, heart, and action, the franchise follows Po’s journey as he overcomes self-doubt and embraces his destiny as the Dragon Warrior.

Created by Mark Osborne , John Stevenson First Film Kung Fu Panda Latest Film Kung Fu Panda 4 Upcoming Films Kung Fu Panda 5 Cast Jack Black , Angelina Jolie , Dustin Hoffman , Jackie Chan , Seth Rogen , David Cross , Lucy Liu

Summary

The Kung Fu Panda franchise is a comedic martial arts adventure series centered around the unlikely hero Po, a clumsy panda who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. With a blend of humor, heart, and action, the franchise follows Po’s journey as he overcomes self-doubt and embraces his destiny as the Dragon Warrior.

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