ProverbHuman Nature
Polish origin
Polish originNie szata zdobi człowieka
Meaning: Clothes don't make the person; character does.
Literally: Clothes don't adorn the man
Example: “Nosi tanie ubrania, ale jest bardzo mądry. Nie szata zdobi człowieka.” — He wears cheap clothes, but he's very wise: you can't judge a book by its cover.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 7 more languages
English: You can't judge a book by its cover
French: L'habit ne fait pas le moine (literally: The habit doesn't make the monk)
Spanish: Las apariencias engañan (literally: Appearances deceive)
Japanese: 人は見かけによらぬもの (Hito wa mikake ni yoranu mono) (literally: A person is not what they appear)
German: Der Schein trügt (literally: Appearances deceive)
Italian: L'abito non fa il monaco (literally: The habit doesn't make the monk)
Portuguese: O hábito não faz o monge (literally: The habit doesn't make the monk)
Dutch: Schijn bedriegt (literally: Appearances deceive)
Russian: По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают (Po odyozhke vstrechayut, po umu provozhayut) (literally: They greet you by your clothes and see you off by your mind)
Chinese: 人不可貌相 (Rén bù kě mào xiàng) (literally: People can't be judged by their looks)
Korean: 뚝배기보다 장맛이 좋다 (Ttukbaegiboda jangmasi jota) (literally: The sauce is better than its clay pot)
Turkish: Hayvanın alacası dışında, insanın alacası içinde (literally: An animal's spots are outside, a person's are inside)
Origin: Szata is an old word for robe or garment: it is not what adorns a person.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
Keep exploring