Kaeru no Ko wa Kaeru (蛙の子は蛙) Meaning: “The Child of a Frog Is a Frog”

Japanese Proverbことわざ

蛙の子は蛙

kaeru no ko wa kaeru

IN ONE LINEThe child of a frog is a frog.
Children grow up to be like their parents.

A tadpole looks nothing like a frog – but it becomes one in the end. That is kaeru no ko wa kaeru (蛙の子は蛙), the Japanese “like father, like son.”

I’m Arasen, an elementary school principal and calligrapher in Japan. I’ll explain how to use it politely – and why, as an educator, I gently disagree with it!

Quick Facts

Japanese	蛙の子は蛙
Reading	かえるのこはかえる
Romaji	kaeru no ko wa kaeru
Literally	A frog’s child is a frog
Meaning	Children turn out like their parents.
Opposite	鳶が鷹を生む (tobi ga taka o umu) – “a kite gives birth to a hawk”
English cousin	Like father, like son. / The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

What Does It Mean?

Children end up resembling their parents.

Traditionally it meant “ordinary parents have ordinary children,” so it is used about your own family, humbly – using it about someone else’s child can be rude.

Word by Word

蛙	kaeru – frog
の子は	no ko wa – the child of
蛙	kaeru – (is) a frog

Where Does It Come From?

A tadpole looks completely different from its parents, with a tail like a little fish. But as it grows, the tail disappears, legs appear – and it becomes a frog after all.

From this came the idea that children grow up to be like their parents.

A Word from Arasen

ArasenElementary school principal & “Kotowaza Master”

When a frog’s egg hatches, it becomes a tadpole. With its tail, it doesn’t look like a frog’s child at all – more like a catfish!

But as it grows, the tail goes, the legs come – and in the end, it’s a frog.

Traditionally, this proverb was used in a negative way: ordinary parents have ordinary children. It’s also a humble expression about yourself, so using it about others can be rude.

But as an educator, I’m convinced that children of ordinary parents can become amazing people, as long as they are given a good environment. I’m still in touch with many of my former students, now grown up – so I can say it with confidence!

You might think, “Why introduce a proverb and then argue with it?” Proverbs are deep, aren’t they?

(Translated from Arasen’s original Japanese.)

How to Use It

A Short Skit

Nozomi, I heard you became an elementary school teacher!

のぞみ、小学校の教師になってんて。

That’s right. Mom and Dad are both teachers, so – kaeru no ko wa kaeru – I became one too!

そうやねん。お父さんもお母さんも教師やから、蛙の子は蛙で、私もやっぱり教師になってしもたわ。

ちゃんちゃん

“Chan-chan” is the little “ta-da!” sound that closes a comedy skit in Japan.

Example Sentences

The soccer player’s kids are great at soccer too. Kaeru no ko wa kaeru.
サッカー選手の子どもも、やっぱりサッカーが上手だ。蛙の子は蛙だね。
They say kaeru no ko wa kaeru, but I have a dream different from my parents’.
蛙の子は蛙というけれど、ぼくは親とはちがう夢を持っている。

Similar Japanese Proverbs

瓜の蔓に茄子はならぬUri no tsuru ni nasubi wa naranu
“Eggplants don’t grow on melon vines.” Children take after their parents.

The Opposite

鳶が鷹を生むTobi ga taka o umu
“A kite gives birth to a hawk.” Ordinary parents can have an extraordinary child.

Similar Sayings in English

Like father, like son.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

In Russia they say “The apple falls near the apple tree,” and in Indonesia, “A horse’s child is a horse, a donkey’s child is a donkey.”

Quick Quiz

Which proverb has the opposite meaning?

A. Tobi ga taka o umu (鳶が鷹を生む)
B. Uri no tsuru ni nasubi wa naranu
C. Oni ni kanabō

Show the answer

The answer is A. “A kite gives birth to a hawk” – ordinary parents with an outstanding child.

Watch the Lesson (in Japanese)

On my YouTube channel “Kyō kara tsukaeru kotowaza kōza” (Proverbs You Can Use from Today), I explain proverbs with short comedy skits. It’s in Japanese – a fun challenge for learners!

Free Worksheet for Teachers

Teaching Japanese? Download a free printable worksheet for this proverb – with the skit, a fill-in-the-blank, a quiz and a writing task (10 proverbs, A4, with answer key).

Download the worksheets (PDF) →