--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing in the world more soft…" description: "\"“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take prec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg" --- # There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than… ![“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it;—for there is nothing (so effectual) for which it can be changed.” quote by Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg) > ““There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it;—for there is nothing (so effectual) for which it can be changed.”” [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Water’s softness and weakness allow it to overcome the strongest obstacles, showing the power of adaptability. **In simple terms:** Softness can overcome strength. Key Takeaway Adopt flexibility to surmount challenges. Themes adaptability softness strength Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - leadership - personal growth - environmental strategy Key Concepts philosophy natural law Questions to Reflect On - How does flexibility defeat rigidity? - When is softness insufficient? A Different Perspective May be seen as passive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-world-there-is-nothing-more-submissive-and-weak-than-water-yet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-the-place-of-what-is-firm-and-strong-is-below-and-that-of/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak. Water shapes its course according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/so-in-war-the-way-is-to-avoid-what-is-strong-and-to-strike-at-what-is/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Pity makes the world soft to the weak and noble to the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-arnold/pity-makes-the-world-soft-to-the-weak-and-noble-to-the-strong/) [Edwin Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-arnold/) > [The rigid and big belong below. The soft and weak belong above.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-rigid-and-big-belong-below-the-soft-and-weak-belong-above/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Where pity is, for pity makes the world Soft to the weak and noble for the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-arnold/where-pity-is-for-pity-makes-the-world-soft-to-the-weak-and-noble-for/) [Edwin Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-arnold/) > [People are born soft and weak. They die hard and stiff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/people-are-born-soft-and-weak-they-die-hard-and-stiff/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-soft-and-weak-overcome-the-hard-and-strong/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“Being relaxed does not mean being soft and weak Slobodan Boban Manic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-boban-manic/being-relaxed-does-not-mean-being-soft-and-weak-slobodan-boban-manic/) [Slobodan Boban Manic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-boban-manic/) > [The soft and weak can overcome the hard and strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-soft-and-weak-can-overcome-the-hard-and-strong/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Why are our bodies soft, and weak, and smooth But that our soft conditions and our hearts Should well agree with our external parts?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-are-our-bodies-soft-and-weak-and-smooth-but-that-our-soft/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. 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Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More by Lao Tzu > [“This is how they are able to continue and endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-how-they-are-able-to-continue-and-endure/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Gravity is the root of lightness;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/gravity-is-the-root-of-lightness/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Therefore the Tao is great;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-the-tao-is-great/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/not-seeking-not-expecting-she-is-present-and-can-welcome-all-things/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“What all men fear is indeed to be feared;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/what-all-men-fear-is-indeed-to-be-feared/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Just remain in the center; watching. And then forget that you are there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/just-remain-in-the-center-watching-and-then-forget-that-you-are-there/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“This is what is called 'The mysterious Quality' (of the Tao).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-what-is-called-the-mysterious-quality-of-the-tao/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“If you show yourself, you will not be seen. If you affirm yourself, you will not shine. If you boast, you will have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/if-you-show-yourself-you-will-not-be-seen-if-you-affirm-yourself-you/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/the-thirty-spokes-unite-in-the-one-nave-but-it-is-on-the-empty-space/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/to-know-and-yet-think-we-do-not-know-is-the-highest-attainment-not-to/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. 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Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [Consumers can choose organic cotton grown without pesticides, but it uses more water and requires more land than conventional crops. Organic cotton can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/consumers-can-choose-organic-cotton-grown-without-pesticides-but-it/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Possessions can possess you. Even a lawn can possess you. It makes you buy a garden hose. Which makes you water. Which cuts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/possessions-can-possess-you-even-a-lawn-can-possess-you-it-makes-you/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/) [John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/) > [No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/no-verse-can-give-pleasure-for-long-nor-last-that-is-written-by/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“Kissing her is like drinking salted water, he thinks. His thirst only increases.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/kissing-her-is-like-drinking-salted-water-he-thinks-his-thirst-only/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) [Browse all 11,281 Water quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it;—for there is nothing (so effectual) for which it can be changed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lao Tzu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft-and-weak-than-water-and-yet/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Water" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft-and-weak-than-water-and-yet/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f69/lao-tzu-624_water_there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft_2102634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and…” — Lao Tzu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lao Tzu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There is nothing in the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft-and-weak-than-water-and-yet/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-soft-and-weak-than-water-and-yet/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```