FrenchLa caque sent toujours le hareng
Meaning: However far you rise, low origins always show through.
Literally: The barrel always smells of herring
Example: “Malgré sa fortune, il crache encore par terre : la caque sent toujours le hareng.” — Despite his fortune, he still spits on the ground: you can't hide where you come from.
English equivalent: You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy
Origin: A caque is the wooden barrel in which salted herring were packed. The oil soaks into the staves and the smell never comes out, whatever the barrel is later used for — so the vessel is permanently marked by what it first held. The saying is generally unkind, and generally meant to be.
More French idioms
- Aller à Canossa To humble oneself completely before someone; to submit and beg forgiveness.
- Parler à la cantonade To speak to a group at large without addressing anyone in particular.
- Un capitaine d'industrie The head of a large company.
- Il n'y a pas loin du Capitole à la roche Tarpéienne Glory and disgrace are close neighbors — the fall can follow the honors very quickly.
- Arriver comme les carabiniers To turn up far too late, when everything is already over.
- Le dernier carat The very last moment; the absolute limit.
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