По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают (Po odyozhke vstrechayut, po umu provozhayut)

Meaning: First impressions depend on looks, but people judge you in the end by what you are.

Literally: They greet you by your clothes and see you off by your mind

Example: “Он пришёл в старом свитере, но всех покорил умом. По одёжке встречают, по уму провожают.” — He came in an old sweater but won everyone over with his wit: 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)
Polish: Nie szata zdobi człowieka (literally: Clothes don't adorn the man)
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)