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What does the expression “Happy is as happy does” mean?


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16















I just read an article in The Economist's China section (2019/02/16) with the subtitle "Happy is as happy is told to".



Feeling confused, I googled about this expression, only to find a quite similar expression: "Happy is as happy does".



What do these sentences mean? Are they grammatically correct?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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    16















    I just read an article in The Economist's China section (2019/02/16) with the subtitle "Happy is as happy is told to".



    Feeling confused, I googled about this expression, only to find a quite similar expression: "Happy is as happy does".



    What do these sentences mean? Are they grammatically correct?










    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























      16












      16








      16


      1






      I just read an article in The Economist's China section (2019/02/16) with the subtitle "Happy is as happy is told to".



      Feeling confused, I googled about this expression, only to find a quite similar expression: "Happy is as happy does".



      What do these sentences mean? Are they grammatically correct?










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      I just read an article in The Economist's China section (2019/02/16) with the subtitle "Happy is as happy is told to".



      Feeling confused, I googled about this expression, only to find a quite similar expression: "Happy is as happy does".



      What do these sentences mean? Are they grammatically correct?







      phrase-meaning idioms






      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 1 hour ago









      V2Blast

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          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          17














          The example from The Economist is a play on words on the idiom "happy is as happy does". Like many idioms, it can be tough to explain, and can appear to break lot of rules of normal grammar.




          Happy is as happy does.




          Basically means




          You make your own happiness by your actions.




          In other words, you cannot expect to be happy unless you do something to bring your happiness about.



          The Economist is taking the well-known idiom and tweaking it to (I presume) make a point that refers to the contents of the article. I'm going to guess and assume it means something like:




          You are as happy as you are told to be.




          I suspect the oldest form of this phrase is the proverb 'handsome is as handsome does', which has been used in various forms as far back as Chaucer. All the other versions are derivations of this original.






          share|improve this answer


























          • your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

            – Pureferret
            22 hours ago






          • 1





            @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

            – JimmyJames
            21 hours ago






          • 3





            The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago






          • 2





            Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

            – Janus Bahs Jacquet
            19 hours ago











          • @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago





















          14














          All right. So there is a line in the movie Forrest Gump that is "stupid is as stupid does". This expression means an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid. You are what you do.



          Other variations include "beauty is as beauty does" , "ugly is as ugly does", and of course, "happy is as happy does" in our case.






          share|improve this answer










          New contributor




          Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.





















          • Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

            – xizdaqrian
            19 hours ago











          • @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

            – EldritchWarlord
            18 hours ago



















          0














          I think it stems from an action focused frame of reference. Ideas such as you are your thoughts or you become what you do.



          Happy people do things that make them happy is my take on the saying under question... and then all the layers of cultural reference like Forest Gump which will make you grok Americans more if you have not watched it.






          share|improve this answer








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          John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes








            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            17














            The example from The Economist is a play on words on the idiom "happy is as happy does". Like many idioms, it can be tough to explain, and can appear to break lot of rules of normal grammar.




            Happy is as happy does.




            Basically means




            You make your own happiness by your actions.




            In other words, you cannot expect to be happy unless you do something to bring your happiness about.



            The Economist is taking the well-known idiom and tweaking it to (I presume) make a point that refers to the contents of the article. I'm going to guess and assume it means something like:




            You are as happy as you are told to be.




            I suspect the oldest form of this phrase is the proverb 'handsome is as handsome does', which has been used in various forms as far back as Chaucer. All the other versions are derivations of this original.






            share|improve this answer


























            • your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

              – Pureferret
              22 hours ago






            • 1





              @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

              – JimmyJames
              21 hours ago






            • 3





              The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago






            • 2





              Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

              – Janus Bahs Jacquet
              19 hours ago











            • @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago


















            17














            The example from The Economist is a play on words on the idiom "happy is as happy does". Like many idioms, it can be tough to explain, and can appear to break lot of rules of normal grammar.




            Happy is as happy does.




            Basically means




            You make your own happiness by your actions.




            In other words, you cannot expect to be happy unless you do something to bring your happiness about.



            The Economist is taking the well-known idiom and tweaking it to (I presume) make a point that refers to the contents of the article. I'm going to guess and assume it means something like:




            You are as happy as you are told to be.




            I suspect the oldest form of this phrase is the proverb 'handsome is as handsome does', which has been used in various forms as far back as Chaucer. All the other versions are derivations of this original.






            share|improve this answer


























            • your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

              – Pureferret
              22 hours ago






            • 1





              @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

              – JimmyJames
              21 hours ago






            • 3





              The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago






            • 2





              Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

              – Janus Bahs Jacquet
              19 hours ago











            • @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago
















            17












            17








            17







            The example from The Economist is a play on words on the idiom "happy is as happy does". Like many idioms, it can be tough to explain, and can appear to break lot of rules of normal grammar.




            Happy is as happy does.




            Basically means




            You make your own happiness by your actions.




            In other words, you cannot expect to be happy unless you do something to bring your happiness about.



            The Economist is taking the well-known idiom and tweaking it to (I presume) make a point that refers to the contents of the article. I'm going to guess and assume it means something like:




            You are as happy as you are told to be.




            I suspect the oldest form of this phrase is the proverb 'handsome is as handsome does', which has been used in various forms as far back as Chaucer. All the other versions are derivations of this original.






            share|improve this answer















            The example from The Economist is a play on words on the idiom "happy is as happy does". Like many idioms, it can be tough to explain, and can appear to break lot of rules of normal grammar.




            Happy is as happy does.




            Basically means




            You make your own happiness by your actions.




            In other words, you cannot expect to be happy unless you do something to bring your happiness about.



            The Economist is taking the well-known idiom and tweaking it to (I presume) make a point that refers to the contents of the article. I'm going to guess and assume it means something like:




            You are as happy as you are told to be.




            I suspect the oldest form of this phrase is the proverb 'handsome is as handsome does', which has been used in various forms as far back as Chaucer. All the other versions are derivations of this original.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited yesterday









            Jasper

            17.9k43568




            17.9k43568










            answered yesterday









            fred2fred2

            1,497513




            1,497513













            • your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

              – Pureferret
              22 hours ago






            • 1





              @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

              – JimmyJames
              21 hours ago






            • 3





              The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago






            • 2





              Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

              – Janus Bahs Jacquet
              19 hours ago











            • @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago





















            • your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

              – Pureferret
              22 hours ago






            • 1





              @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

              – JimmyJames
              21 hours ago






            • 3





              The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago






            • 2





              Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

              – Janus Bahs Jacquet
              19 hours ago











            • @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

              – fred2
              19 hours ago



















            your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

            – Pureferret
            22 hours ago





            your definitition doesn't match my experience, not your 'oldest form' example. How does it fit to 'You make your own 'handsomeness' by your actions'?

            – Pureferret
            22 hours ago




            1




            1





            @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

            – JimmyJames
            21 hours ago





            @Pureferret The link provided also disagrees it says 'handsome is ...' means "Good deeds are more important that good looks."

            – JimmyJames
            21 hours ago




            3




            3





            The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago





            The phrase means different things depending on what the main word is, but always with the sense that 'actions are what matters'. So, no, it doesn't mean 'you make your own handsomeness', but it means 'you are as handsome as the "handsome" (ie good) deeds that you do'.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago




            2




            2





            Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

            – Janus Bahs Jacquet
            19 hours ago





            Grammatically, the as in this expression is a relative pronoun (if you have access to the OED, it’s sense 21a of as there), here used in an old-fashioned ‘doubly reversed’ type of phrase that’s actually a fused relative construction: Happy is as happy does → Happy is who happy does → Happy is who does happy → Happy is (s)he who does happy → (S)he who does happy is happy. (‘Doing happy’ then means to portray happiness in one’s doing.)

            – Janus Bahs Jacquet
            19 hours ago













            @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago







            @JanusBahsJacquet I lost my access to OED a few years back, and I'm still in mourning. Great comment, once again illustrating the baroque levels of complexity that can be involved in even simple phrases.

            – fred2
            19 hours ago















            14














            All right. So there is a line in the movie Forrest Gump that is "stupid is as stupid does". This expression means an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid. You are what you do.



            Other variations include "beauty is as beauty does" , "ugly is as ugly does", and of course, "happy is as happy does" in our case.






            share|improve this answer










            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.





















            • Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

              – xizdaqrian
              19 hours ago











            • @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

              – EldritchWarlord
              18 hours ago
















            14














            All right. So there is a line in the movie Forrest Gump that is "stupid is as stupid does". This expression means an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid. You are what you do.



            Other variations include "beauty is as beauty does" , "ugly is as ugly does", and of course, "happy is as happy does" in our case.






            share|improve this answer










            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.





















            • Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

              – xizdaqrian
              19 hours ago











            • @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

              – EldritchWarlord
              18 hours ago














            14












            14








            14







            All right. So there is a line in the movie Forrest Gump that is "stupid is as stupid does". This expression means an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid. You are what you do.



            Other variations include "beauty is as beauty does" , "ugly is as ugly does", and of course, "happy is as happy does" in our case.






            share|improve this answer










            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.










            All right. So there is a line in the movie Forrest Gump that is "stupid is as stupid does". This expression means an intelligent person who does stupid things is still stupid. You are what you do.



            Other variations include "beauty is as beauty does" , "ugly is as ugly does", and of course, "happy is as happy does" in our case.







            share|improve this answer










            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.









            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited yesterday









            CowperKettle

            28.9k1091170




            28.9k1091170






            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.









            answered yesterday









            Mengzhen SUNMengzhen SUN

            22117




            22117




            New contributor




            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.





            New contributor





            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.






            Mengzhen SUN is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.













            • Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

              – xizdaqrian
              19 hours ago











            • @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

              – EldritchWarlord
              18 hours ago



















            • Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

              – xizdaqrian
              19 hours ago











            • @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

              – EldritchWarlord
              18 hours ago

















            Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

            – xizdaqrian
            19 hours ago





            Yeah. In the particular context of using something esoteric, like "stupid, pretty, handsome," etc, the actions make the correct impression on other people. "Pretty is as pretty does" means that someone's real beauty is determined by how one treats people. Good observation!

            – xizdaqrian
            19 hours ago













            @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

            – EldritchWarlord
            18 hours ago





            @xizdaqrian Or we could be a little more reductive and say "pretty is as pretty does" means someone who is pretty has done something to make themselves pretty. Same for happy, stupid, ugly, smart, celebrity, or whatever other variation you might have encountered. I've always thought that the point of the adage was that you could attain or avoid the same status someone else has by adopting or avoiding their behavior.

            – EldritchWarlord
            18 hours ago











            0














            I think it stems from an action focused frame of reference. Ideas such as you are your thoughts or you become what you do.



            Happy people do things that make them happy is my take on the saying under question... and then all the layers of cultural reference like Forest Gump which will make you grok Americans more if you have not watched it.






            share|improve this answer








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              0














              I think it stems from an action focused frame of reference. Ideas such as you are your thoughts or you become what you do.



              Happy people do things that make them happy is my take on the saying under question... and then all the layers of cultural reference like Forest Gump which will make you grok Americans more if you have not watched it.






              share|improve this answer








              New contributor




              John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
              Check out our Code of Conduct.























                0












                0








                0







                I think it stems from an action focused frame of reference. Ideas such as you are your thoughts or you become what you do.



                Happy people do things that make them happy is my take on the saying under question... and then all the layers of cultural reference like Forest Gump which will make you grok Americans more if you have not watched it.






                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.










                I think it stems from an action focused frame of reference. Ideas such as you are your thoughts or you become what you do.



                Happy people do things that make them happy is my take on the saying under question... and then all the layers of cultural reference like Forest Gump which will make you grok Americans more if you have not watched it.







                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer






                New contributor




                John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                answered 12 hours ago









                John DrinaneJohn Drinane

                11




                11




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                John Drinane is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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