he who laughs last laughs best

UK/ˈhiː huː ˈlɑːfs ˈlɑːst ˈlɑːfs ˈbɛst/US/ˈhi hu ˈlæfs ˈlæst ˈlæfs ˈbɛst/

proverb

Success is enjoyed more after having previously endured ridicule.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative he laughs best that laughs last · alternative he who laughs last laughs hardest

  1. Success is enjoyed more after having previously endured ridicule.

Translations

Afrikaans wie die laaste lag, lag die lekkerste, wie laaste lag, lag die lekkerste
  • wie die laaste lag, lag die lekkerstesuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
  • wie laaste lag, lag die lekkerstesuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Arabic يَضْحَكُ كَثِيرًا مَن يَضْحَكُ أَخِيرًا
  • يَضْحَكُ كَثِيرًا مَن يَضْحَكُ أَخِيرًا (yaḍḥaku kaṯīran man yaḍḥaku ʔaḵīran)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Bulgarian който се смее последен, се смее най-добре
  • който се смее последен, се смее най-добре (kojto se smee posleden, se smee naj-dobre)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Czech kdo se směje naposled, ten se směje nejlíp
  • kdo se směje naposled, ten se směje nejlípsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Danish den der ler sidst, ler bedst
  • den der ler sidst, ler bedstsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Dutch wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best, wie laatst lacht, best lacht
  • wie het laatst lacht, lacht het bestsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
  • wie laatst lacht, best lachtsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Esperanto plej bone ridas, kiu laste ridas
  • plej bone ridas, kiu laste ridassuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Finnish joka viimeksi nauraa, se parhaiten nauraa
  • joka viimeksi nauraa, se parhaiten nauraasuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
French rira bien qui rira le dernier, tel qui rit vendredi, dimanche pleurera
  • rira bien qui rira le derniersuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
  • tel qui rit vendredi, dimanche pleurerasuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
German wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten
  • wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am bestensuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Greek γελάει καλύτερα όποιος γελάει τελευταίος
  • γελάει καλύτερα όποιος γελάει τελευταίος (geláei kalýtera ópoios geláei teleftaíos)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Hebrew צוֹחֵק מִי שֶׁצּוֹחֵק אַחֲרוֹן
  • צוֹחֵק מִי שֶׁצּוֹחֵק אַחֲרוֹן (tsokhék mi shetsokhék akharón)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Italian ride bene chi ride ultimo
  • ride bene chi ride ultimosuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Japanese 最後に笑う者が最もよく笑う
  • 最後に笑う者が最もよく笑う (saigo ni warau mono ga mottomo yoku warau)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Korean 마지막에 웃는 자가 승자다
  • 마지막에 웃는 자가 승자다 (majimage unneun jaga seungjada)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Lithuanian juokiasi tas, kas juokiasi paskutinis
  • juokiasi tas, kas juokiasi paskutinissuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Norwegian den som ler sist, ler best
  • den som ler sist, ler bestsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Persian شاهنامه آخرش خوشه, شاهنامه آخرش خوش است
  • شاهنامه آخرش خوشه (šâhnâme âxareš xoš-e)success is better after you've endured ridicule
  • شاهنامه آخرش خوش است (šâhnâme âxareš xoš ast)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Polish ten się śmieje, kto się śmieje ostatni
  • ten się śmieje, kto się śmieje ostatnisuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Portuguese quem ri por último ri melhor, ri melhor quem ri por último
  • quem ri por último ri melhorsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
  • ri melhor quem ri por últimosuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
  • rirá melhor quem rirá por fimsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Romanian cine râde la urmă, râde mai bine
  • cine râde la urmă, râde mai binesuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Russian хорошо смеётся тот, кто смеётся после́дним
  • хорошо смеётся тот, кто смеётся после́дним (xorošo smejótsja tot, kto smejótsja poslédnim)success is better after you've endured ridicule
Spanish ríe bien el que ríe el último
  • ríe bien el que ríe el últimosuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Swedish skrattar bäst som skrattar sist
  • skrattar bäst som skrattar sistsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Tagalog nasa kaniya ang huling halakhak
  • nasa kaniya ang huling halakhaksuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Thai หัวเราะทีหลังดังกว่า
  • หัวเราะทีหลังดังกว่าsuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Turkish son gülen iyi güler
  • son gülen iyi gülersuccess is better after you've endured ridicule
Vietnamese Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười.
  • Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười.success is better after you've endured ridicule
Cite this entry
APA

he who laughs last laughs best. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/he%20who%20laughs%20last%20laughs%20best

MLA

“he who laughs last laughs best.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/he%20who%20laughs%20last%20laughs%20best. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “he who laughs last laughs best,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/he%20who%20laughs%20last%20laughs%20best.

Source: he who laughs last laughs best on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.