--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't measure the mutual affection of…" description: "\"You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.\" — Milan Kundera" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg" --- # You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings… ![“You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg) > “You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.” [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Affection is deeper than verbal exchange; true connection transcends how much you talk. **In simple terms:** Love is felt, not counted. Key Takeaway Value quality over quantity in relationships. Themes love communication intimacy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - friendship - romantic partnership - family gatherings - conflict resolution Key Concepts emotional depth human connection Questions to Reflect On - How do you show love without words? - What non‑verbal signs indicate affection? A Different Perspective Words can be insufficient to express deep feelings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affection Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-human-365614/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-does/) [Measure Mutual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-mutual-1610714/) [Mutual Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual-affection-1610712/) [Words Exchange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-exchange-1610713/) ## Related quotes > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [The natural term of the affection of the human animal for its offspring is six years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-natural-term-of-the-affection-of-the-human-animal-for-its/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Gravity is a mutual affection between cognate bodies towards union or conjunction (similar in kind to the magnetic virtue), so that the earth attracts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/gravity-is-a-mutual-affection-between-cognate-bodies-towards-union-or/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Love is when hearts harbour mutual affection due to the harmony between spirits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-when-hearts-harbour-mutual-affection-due-to-the-harmony/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't even need to touch you, we kiss each other through the words we exchange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghav-singh/i-don-t-even-need-to-touch-you-we-kiss-each-other-through-the-words/) [Raghav Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghav-singh/) > [“We build our futures together, in the words we exchange today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-fleming/we-build-our-futures-together-in-the-words-we-exchange-today/) [Sherwood Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-fleming/) > [Exchange the words 'have to' with 'get to.' Exchange the word 'can't' with 'unwilling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/exchange-the-words-have-to-with-get-to-exchange-the-word-can-t-with/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [“She always seemed to me, I fancy, more human than she was, perhaps because her affection was so human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/she-always-seemed-to-me-i-fancy-more-human-than-she-was-perhaps/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [Self-actualizing people have a deep feeling of identification, sympathy, and affection for human beings in general. They feel kinship and connection, as if all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/self-actualizing-people-have-a-deep-feeling-of-identification/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [I've seen people that don't treat their animals well and yet their animals are still just as loving to them even though they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-patten/i-ve-seen-people-that-don-t-treat-their-animals-well-and-yet-their/) [Dick Van Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-patten/) > [There is a real affection for these human beings on these stage that O'Neill really had. Out of that affection comes a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/there-is-a-real-affection-for-these-human-beings-on-these-stage-that/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [“His affection for the human grew steadily by the day. Sometimes by the minute. And it wasn’t simply her beauty, but her utter lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/his-affection-for-the-human-grew-steadily-by-the-day-sometimes-by-the/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [When thier god and his exploiters cease to be adored and served, we shall live like comrades in mutual affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/when-thier-god-and-his-exploiters-cease-to-be-adored-and-served-we/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [Marry first, and love will come after is a shocking assertion; since a thousand things may happen to make the state but barely tolerable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/marry-first-and-love-will-come-after-is-a-shocking-assertion-since-a/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [“We'll find a man whom you could love, Daisy. And hope that mutual affection will grow in time." A wry little smile quirked her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/we-ll-find-a-man-whom-you-could-love-daisy-and-hope-that-mutual/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Milan Kundera > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Our lives may be separate, but they run in the same direction, like parallel lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/our-lives-may-be-separate-but-they-run-in-the-same-direction-like/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Explore all 952 Milan Kundera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-of-two-human-beings-by-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-of-two-human-beings-by-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1b/milan-kundera-120_love_you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-o_941275.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.” — Milan Kundera", "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": "Milan Kundera", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't measure the mutual affection...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-of-two-human-beings-by-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/you-can-t-measure-the-mutual-affection-of-two-human-beings-by-the/#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 } } ] } ```