A fair face may hide a foul heart.
Meaning: Physical beauty deceives; assess character through actions and behavior, not appearance alone.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Morality
- As good to be out of the world as out of the fashion. — Social irrelevance destroys one's sense of existence as thoroughly as physical death.
- Tis good fish if it were but caught. — Potential alone means nothing without the effort and skill required to seize actual oppor…
- There's as good fish in the sea as were ever caught. — Lost opportunities aren't final; future chances remain equally promising if you persevere.
- To forget a wrong is the best revenge. — Holding onto grievance poisons the grudge-bearer while freeing the offender from further…
- He that sings on Friday shall weep on Sunday. — Premature celebration invites misfortune; joy separated from caution courts sorrow.
- Though good be good yet better carries it. — Excellence demands continuous improvement; settling for mere goodness invites complacency…
From our tongue twisters
- 四是四，十是十，十四是十四，四十是四十。(Sì shì sì, shí shì shí, shísì shì shísì, sìshí shì sìshí.) — A pure sì/shí tone drill — the two numbers are near-identical and the tones swap each tim…
- 吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。(Chī pútao bù tǔ pútao pí, bù chī pútao dào tǔ pútao pí.) — A 'pú/tǔ/pí' drill with reversing logic — the negations flip the meaning as the tongue tr…
- 黑化肥发黑会挥发；灰化肥发灰会挥发。(Hēihuàféi fā hēi huì huīfā; huīhuàféi fā huī huì huīfā.) — A 'hēi/huī/huì/fā' four-tone minefield — the tones alone change every meaning.