Proverb / Kotowaza
人は見かけによらぬもの
A person's true character or ability cannot be judged by their outward appearance alone.
People do not depend on their appearance
Quick Answer
A person's true character or ability cannot be judged by their outward appearance alone.
- Literal Image
- People do not depend on their appearance
- How to Use It
- Used when discovering that someone has surprising qualities or skills that contradict their appearance, or as advice to avoid making superficial judgments.
Meaning
A person's inner nature, personality, and actual skills differ from their physical appearance or the first impression they give. This proverb serves as a reminder that looks can be deceiving and should not be the sole basis for evaluating someone's worth or talent.
Literal Image
People do not depend on their appearance
How to Use It
Used when discovering that someone has surprising qualities or skills that contradict their appearance, or as advice to avoid making superficial judgments.
Tone
Reflective and cautionary.
Examples
物静かな彼が格闘技の有段者だなんて、人は見かけによらぬものだ。
To think that such a quiet guy is a high-ranking martial artist—people really aren't what they seem.
人は見かけによらぬというから、外見だけで人を判断してはいけない。
They say you can't judge a person by their looks, so you shouldn't judge someone based on appearance alone.
強面（こわもて）だが実は非常に優しい彼を見て、人は見かけによらぬと実感した。
Seeing how kind he actually is despite his scary face, I realized that people are not what they seem.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary is simple, but it uses the classical 'nu' negative ending for the verb 'yoru', which is in proverbs.
人
ひと / hito
person; people
見かけ
みかけ / mikake
outward appearance
よらぬ
よらぬ / yoranu
does not depend on (negative form of 'yoru')
Usage Profile
Usage note: Be careful not to use this in a way that implies the person's appearance is actually bad; it focuses on the discrepancy between appearance and reality.
Misread Risk
Do not assume this only applies to 'bad-looking' people being good; it also applies to 'good-looking' people who might lack character or talent.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression serves as a life lesson that a person's first impression or style of dress does not necessarily align with their true personality or talents.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.