English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From make a silk purse of a sow's ear, with the common perception of swine as unrefined, dirty, or base creatures.
Proverb[edit]
you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear
- It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.
Synonyms[edit]
Translations[edit]
it is not possible to produce something refined from something which is unrefined
- Afrikaans: al dra 'n aap 'n goue ring, hy is en bly 'n lelike ding (af) (literally “the monkey remains ugly even when he wears a golden ring.”)
- Arabic: please add this translation if you can
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: please add this translation if you can
- Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
- Dutch: al draagt een aap een gouden ring, het is en blijft een lelijk ding (nl)
- Finnish: ei paska punniten parane (vulgar), roskasta ei saa kultaa
- French: le singe est toujours singe, fût-il vêtu de pourpre
- German: man kann aus einem Ackergaul kein Rennpferd machen, man kann aus einem Esel kein Rennpferd machen
- Greek: τον γάιδαρο, όσο και να τον στολίσεις, άλογο δεν γίνεται (ton gáidaro, óso kai na ton stolíseis, álogo den gínetai)
- Polish: i w Paryżu nie zrobią z owsa ryżu (pl) (even in Paris they cannot make rice from oats)
- Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
- Russian: от оси́ны не родя́тся апельси́ны (ru) (ot osíny ne rodjátsja apelʹsíny)
- Spanish: aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda (es)
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See also[edit]
