kænt dʒʌdʒ ə bʊk baɪ ɪts ˈkʌvər
- Literally:
- Unable to evaluate a book based on its cover design
What does "can't judge a book by its cover" mean?
- You cannot judge the value of something by its outward appearance
- First impressions can be misleading
Examples
- He looked unimpressive but was brilliant—you can't judge a book by its cover.
- The restaurant looked shabby outside but the food was amazing. Can't judge a book by its cover!
- Don't dismiss her based on appearance. You can't judge a book by its cover.
Origin
American origin from the mid-19th century. Originally advice about literally not judging books by their covers, it quickly became a metaphor for not judging people or things by external appearances.
How to use it
Very common proverb warning against superficial judgments. Often used after someone or something exceeds or fails expectations.
Similar expressions
Opposites
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "can't judge a book by its cover" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.