- English translation
A pot can only seep out what it holds.
- Literal wording
Every vessel oozes with whatever is inside it.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying holds that what comes out of a person shows what is inside them. The image is of an ordinary household container, such as a pot, dish, or basin, seeping its contents. Speech, conduct, and attitude are treated as natural overflow from character, so a person's true disposition eventually surfaces in how they act and talk.
It also suggests that nobody can offer what they lack. A coarse person produces coarseness and a kind one produces kindness. Others' behavior is read as self-revelation, not as a verdict on the person it targets.
- When it is used
Apply this when someone's words or actions seem to expose their underlying nature, whether a spiteful remark or a generous gesture. Because it can sound like a pointed judgment of the speaker, use it with care when the person described is present.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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