Jaki korzeń, taka nać, taka córka, jaka mać
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What it means
As the root, so the tops; as the daughter, so the mother. A rustic proverb about inherited character — the plant metaphor (root and leafy tops) mirrors the family one (mother and daughter).
English equivalent
Like mother, like daughter.
Vocabulary
- korzeń — root
- nać — leafy tops of a root vegetable
- córka — daughter
- mać — mother (archaic/dialectal)
Grammar note
The proverb uses two parallel correlatives and ends with a rhyme: 'nać / mać'. 'Jaki' (masculine) agrees with 'korzeń'; 'taka' (feminine) agrees with 'nać' and 'córka'.
Intermediate
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