Learn English – the difference between happy and cheerful in this quote: I am cheerful. I don’t know if I’m happy.

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What is the difference between happy and cheerful in this quote? I thought they was the same.

I am cheerful. I don't know if I'm happy. There is a difference, you know.

Tom Robbins

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/tomrobbins584246.html

Best Answer

I like to think of it as the difference between "weather" and "climate".

Weather is what's going on right now. Being "cheerful" means that, right now, you're upbeat and feeling good. - Like if the weather is sunny.

Climate is what the overall weather is like for a region. While it may be sunny today, if the general climate is for cold, damp weather, the sunny day is unusual. Same with being happy. In this case, he's using happy to mean that he's not sure he's generally happy with his life but, for the time being, he's cheerful.

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