江山易改，本性难移 jiāng shān yì gǎi ， běn xìng nán yí

you can't change who you are

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. you can't change who you are
  2. 2. it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one's character (idiom)
  3. 3. Can the leopard change his spots?

Characters

Character Meaning
江 jiāng HSK 4
river; surname Jiang
山 shān HSK 3
mountain; hill; anything that resembles a mountain
易 yì HSK 3
easy; to change; to exchange
改 gǎi HSK 4
to change; to alter; to correct
本 běn HSK 1
this; the current; original
性 xìng HSK 4
nature; character; quality
难 nán HSK 3
difficult; difficult (to...); difficulty
移 yí HSK 5
to move; to shift; to change