Comments on: What is the origin of the phrase "patience, grasshopper"?

Question: What is the origin of the phrase "patience, grasshopper"?

matildaben — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 10:19:24 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "patience, grasshopper"? I'd never heard it said before, and in the last few months it's popping up around me like kudzu. Often said in a fake "kung fu movie" accent.

Google is not helping (I only get pages where people use the phrase, including a site about learning Icelandic and another about how to have multiple orgasms), and I couldn't find anything in the AskMe or MeFi archives either.

By: Juicylicious

Juicylicious — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 10:21:24 -0800

It's from Kung Fu the 70s television show.

By: kindall

kindall — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 10:22:34 -0800

Kung Fu. Caine's teacher, Master Po, called him "grasshopper" as a child.

By: inksyndicate

inksyndicate — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 10:27:21 -0800

Because he would achieve such concentration, he could close his eyes and listen to the grasshoppers.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 10:53:53 -0800

One possible reason it's popping up is the minor resurgence in popularity enjoyed by David Carradine, ever since Kill Bill vol. 2 came out. Carradine played Caine in Kung Fu.

By: TimeFactor

TimeFactor — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:44:40 -0800

Quick as you can, snatch this pebble from my hand.

By: scazza

scazza — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 13:38:43 -0800

I know that grasshopper is, somewhere in Chinese lore, the lowest end of the learning curve. When a friend of mine went to learn CHinese, the teacher said how she was a but a grasshopper and hsd to really commit in order to learn Chinese.

Anyone know anything about Chinese calendars or symbolism?

By: Aquaman

Aquaman — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 15:48:15 -0800

If only Bruce Lee had been given the role, as (possibly) originally planned.

*sigh*