dailysoy: Kotowaza of the day: What about my Beaujolais nouveau?

Dec 23, 2004

Japanese:: 外襤褸の内錦
Romanized:: Soto boro no uchi nishiki
Meaning of Japanese:: Rags on the outside, brocade within
Poor in show, rich in substance
English equivalents:: The best wine comes out of an old vessel

At 12/26/2004 2:35 AM, Safety Neal said...: How about "Don't judge a book by its cover" as another English version?
At 12/26/2004 3:47 AM, eBohn said...: Yeah, I considered that one too. But it's more general and I've run across a Japanese version that better matches it. This one is specific in referring to a shabby exterior that conceals inner quality.

Thanks for the suggestion though! You've got a knack for this sort of thing, so feel free to offer alternatives whenever you see an opening.