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  What it means

  The Polish equivalent of “all that glitters is not gold.” It warns that attractive appearances can be deceiving — something that looks valuable or impressive may not be as good as it seems on the surface. Used to counsel caution before judging by first impressions.

  Vocabulary

  • złoto — gold
  • świecić się — to shine, to glitter
  • co — that, which (relative pronoun)

  Grammar note

  The relative clause 'co się świeci' (that shines) is introduced by 'co', a common relative pronoun in Polish proverbs and formal written style.

  Cultural context

  This saying entered Polish through literary tradition and parallels the Shakespearean line from 'The Merchant of Venice', making it widely recognized by educated speakers.

  Intermediate

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