Phrase guide

blood is thicker than water

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

Family relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Qualifier: family

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

45 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: s'bëhet gjaku ujë — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Albanian: gjaku nuk bëhet ujë — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Arabic: الدم عُمره ما يبقى مَيَّة — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Armenian: արյունը ջուր չի դառնա (aryunə ǰur čʻi daṙna) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Bulgarian: кръвта вода не става (krǎvta voda ne stava) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Chinese Cantonese: 血濃於水 /血浓于水 (hyut3 nung4 jyu1 seoi2) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Chinese Mandarin: 血濃於水 /血浓于水 (xuènóngyúshuǐ) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Czech: krev není voda — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Danish: blod er tykkere end vand — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Dutch: bloed is dikker dan water — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Finnish: veri on vettä sakeampaa — relationships are stronger within the family
  • French: bon sang ne peut mentir — relationships are stronger within the family
  • French: bon sang ne saurait mentir — relationships are stronger within the family
  • French: la voix du sang est la plus forte — relationships are stronger within the family
  • German: Blut ist dicker als Wasser — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Greek: το αίμα νερό δεν γίνεται (to aíma neró den gínetai) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Hungarian: a vér nem válik vízzé — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Irish: gach díograis go deireadh — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Irish: is fearr beagán den ghaol ná mórán den charthanas — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Italian: il sangue non è acqua — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Japanese: 血は水よりも濃い (chi wa mizu yori mo koi) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Korean: 피는 물보다 진하다 (pineun mulboda jinhada) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Macedonian: крв не е вода (krv ne e voda) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Malay: air dicincang tidak akan putus — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Norwegian Bokmål: blod er tykkere enn vann — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: blod er tjukkare enn vatn — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Polish: krew nie woda — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Portuguese: o sangue é mais grosso que a água — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Romanian: sângele apă nu se face — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Scottish Gaelic: is tighe fuil na bùrn — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Scottish Gaelic: is tiugha fuil na uisge — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Scottish Gaelic: is fhaisge a' ghlùn na an uileann — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Scottish Gaelic: 's e a leanabh fhèin as luaithe a bhaisteas an sagart — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Scottish Gaelic: thèid dùthchas an aghaidh nan creag — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Serbo-Croatian: кр̑в није во̀да — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Serbo-Croatian: kȓv nije vòda — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Slovak: krv nie je voda — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Slovene: kri ni voda — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Spanish: la sangre tira — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Swedish: blod är tjockare än vatten — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Tagalog: mas matimbang ang dugo kaysa tubig — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Thai: เลือดข้นกว่าน้ํา (lêuat kôn gwàa nám) — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Vietnamese: một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Welsh: nes penelin nag arddwrn — relationships are stronger within the family
  • Welsh: mae gwaed yn dewach na dŵr — relationships are stronger within the family