proverb · Words worth keeping
Blood is thicker than water.
Blood is thicker than water.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Family ties may inspire especially strong loyalty. Blood represents kinship, while water provides the contrast with relationships outside the family.
What the words are saying
The wording compares the strength of family attachment with other bonds. It is often used to explain why someone gives relatives particular attention or stands by them in a difficult moment. That preference can describe a real relationship without establishing a duty to put every relative ahead of every friend. Families differ, and trust depends on conduct as well as kinship. A careful reading treats the saying as a statement about loyalty someone feels, rather than proof that family members are always kinder or more deserving.
Everyday example
A person makes time to help a sibling through a move because their shared history makes the request especially important to them.
When to use it
Use it to describe strong family loyalty in a particular situation.
What it does not mean
Kinship does not require tolerating mistreatment or dismissing supportive relationships outside the family.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 14; PDF page 6
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.