The wolf changes his coat but not his character
Meaning: Surface appearances can change, but a person's fundamental nature remains the same.
Origin: A medieval Latin proverb, lupus pilum mutat, non mentem. The Roman historian Suetonius tells a similar story of the emperor Vespasian, rebuked with the saying that the fox changes his fur but not his habits.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Le loup change de poil, non de naturel (literally: The wolf changes its coat, not its nature)
- Spanish: El lobo cambia el pelo, pero no las mañas (literally: The wolf changes its fur but not its tricks)
- Japanese: 狼は毛を変えても性質は変えない (Ōkami wa ke wo kaete mo seishitsu wa kaenai) (literally: The wolf changes its coat but not its character)
- German: Der Wolf ändert wohl das Haar, doch bleibt er, wie er war (literally: The wolf may change his hair, but he stays as he was)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Not all who wander are lost — Those who explore unconventional paths may have a deeper sense of direction than it appea…
- Every person is a mirror to another — We see our own nature reflected in how we treat others and how others respond to us.
- A man's home is his castle — A person's home is their private domain, which no one may enter or interfere with without…
- Behind every great man is a great woman — Significant male achievement typically depends on crucial female support, often unrecogni…
- Clothes don't make the man — External appearances cannot determine a person's true character, integrity, or worth.
- Every man has a price — Self-interest ultimately overcomes principle when temptation or desperation grows large e…
From our idioms
- Auf dem Holzweg sein — To be on completely the wrong track.
- Die Kirche im Dorf lassen — To keep things in proportion and not get carried away.
- Jetzt geht's um die Wurst — Now it's crunch time — everything is at stake.