朱に交われば赤くなる (Shu ni majiwareba akaku naru)

Meaning: People take on the character of the company they keep.

Literally: Mix with vermilion and you turn red

Example: “悪い仲間と付き合うのはやめなさい。朱に交われば赤くなるよ。” — Stop hanging around with that bad crowd: who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl.

Equivalents in English, Spanish, German, and Italian

English: Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl
Spanish: Quien con lobos anda, a aullar aprende (literally: He who walks with wolves learns to howl)
German: Bei Wölfen und Eulen lernt man das Heulen (literally: Among wolves and owls one learns howling)
Italian: Chi va col lupo impara a ululare (literally: Whoever goes with the wolf learns to howl)

Origin: It goes back to the Chinese writer Fu Xuan (217–278): near vermilion you turn red, near ink you turn black.

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

Firma Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
Magazzino Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
Conveniente Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…

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