Frog Son

Japanese people sometimes use “a frog’s son is a frog.” This proverb is similar to, “like father, like son.” Japanese people usually use the proverb for a son has the same job as his father. If a father is a skillful carpenter, and also his son is a skillful carpenter, we say, “A Frog’s son is a frog.” However, Japanese people sometimes use this proverb for irony, for example when a governor’s son becomes a governor, a wrongdoer’s son is a wrongdoer. Japan has another proverb that has a similar meaning; “like father, like son,” which is “Blood is thicker than water.” This message is same as the frog’s son, but we use this proverb for a positive meaning. Japan has some proverbs that relate to blood relations.
by Hiroyuki Asano