The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Meaning: Children often resemble their parents.
Origin: Known across northern Europe — in German as der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm, and in Danish and Icelandic — though which language had it first is unclear. An 1830 English grammar quoted it as an Icelandic proverb, and Ralph Waldo Emerson helped popularize it in America in 1839, citing the German form. It is still said of children who resemble their parents.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: La pomme ne tombe jamais loin de l'arbre (literally: The apple never falls far from the tree)
- Spanish: De tal palo, tal astilla (literally: From such a stick, such a splinter)
- Japanese: 蛙の子は蛙 (Kaeru no ko wa kaeru) (literally: A frog's child is a frog)
- German: Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm (literally: The apple does not fall far from the trunk)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Laughter is the best medicine — Humor and joy can help overcome difficulties.
- A watched pot never boils — Time seems to pass slowly when you are waiting.
- Beggars can't be choosers — When you need help, you accept what's offered.
- It takes a village to raise a child — Community support is essential for child development.
- One man's trash is another man's treasure — What one person discards, another may value.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder — Being apart makes you appreciate someone more.
From our idioms
- 雀の涙 (suzume no namida) — A pitifully small amount.
- 対牛弾琴 (Tai gyū dan kin) — Wasting effort on an unappreciative audience.
- 口が滑る (kuchi ga suberu) — To accidentally let something slip.