blood is thicker than water

proverb

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

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Meanings

proverb
  1. idiomaticfamilyFamily relations and loyalties are stronger than relationships with people who are not family members.

    You know blood is thicker than water / But you just want everyone to get along

    2019 March 6, “Binary Star”, in Benjamin and mpi (lyrics), SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] (music), R∃/MEMBER, performed by Uru, Sacra Music, →vgmdb
    2 more examples

    It seems as though you had come to be so very near to us; and blood is thicker than water, is it not? If cousins are not friends, who can be?

    1865 May 15 – 1866 January 1, Anthony Trollope, “Mary Belton”, in The Belton Estate. […], volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published December 1865 (indicated as 1866), →OCLC, page 201

    The old clans are scattered now, but blood is thicker than water still, and you're welcome to the fireside of your kinsman!

    c. 1915, Lucy Fitch Perkins, chapter 5, in The Scotch Twins

Translations

Bulgarian кръвта вода не става
  • кръвта вода не става (krăvta voda ne stava)relationships are stronger within the family
Chinese Cantonese 血濃於水 /血浓于水
  • 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
  • 血濃於水 /血浓于水 (xuènóngyúshuǐ)relationships are stronger within the family
Czech krev není voda
  • krev není vodarelationships are stronger within the family
Danish blod er tykkere end vand
  • blod er tykkere end vandrelationships are stronger within the family
Dutch bloed is dikker dan water
  • bloed is dikker dan waterrelationships are stronger within the family
Finnish veri on vettä sakeampaa
  • veri on vettä sakeampaarelationships are stronger within the family
French bon sang ne peut mentir, bon sang ne saurait mentir
  • bon sang ne peut mentirrelationships are stronger within the family
  • bon sang ne saurait mentirrelationships are stronger within the family
  • la voix du sang est la plus forterelationships are stronger within the family
German Blut ist dicker als Wasser
  • Blut ist dicker als Wasserrelationships are stronger within the family
Greek το αίμα νερό δεν γίνεται
  • το αίμα νερό δεν γίνεται (to aíma neró den gínetai)relationships are stronger within the family
Hungarian a vér nem válik vízzé
  • a vér nem válik vízzérelationships are stronger within the family
Irish gach díograis go deireadh, is fearr beagán den ghaol ná mórán den charthanas
  • gach díograis go deireadhrelationships are stronger within the family
  • is fearr beagán den ghaol ná mórán den charthanasrelationships are stronger within the family
Italian il sangue non è acqua
  • il sangue non è acquarelationships are stronger within the family
Japanese 血は水よりも濃い
  • 血は水よりも濃い (chi wa mizu yori mo koi)relationships are stronger within the family
Korean 피는 물보다 진하다
  • 피는 물보다 진하다 (pineun mulboda jinhada)relationships are stronger within the family
Malay air dicincang tidak akan putus
  • air dicincang tidak akan putusrelationships are stronger within the family
Norwegian Bokmål blod er tykkere enn vann
  • blod er tykkere enn vannrelationships are stronger within the family
Polish krew nie woda
  • krew nie wodarelationships are stronger within the family
Portuguese o sangue é mais grosso que a água
  • o sangue é mais grosso que a águarelationships are stronger within the family
Romanian sângele apă nu se face
  • sângele apă nu se facerelationships are stronger within the family
Scottish Gaelic is tighe fuil na bùrn, is tiugha fuil na uisge
  • is tighe fuil na bùrnrelationships are stronger within the family
  • is tiugha fuil na uisgerelationships are stronger within the family
  • is fhaisge a' ghlùn na an uileannrelationships are stronger within the family
  • 's e a leanabh fhèin as luaithe a bhaisteas an sagartrelationships are stronger within the family
  • thèid dùthchas an aghaidh nan creagrelationships are stronger within the family
Slovak krv nie je voda
  • krv nie je vodarelationships are stronger within the family
Spanish la sangre tira
  • la sangre tirarelationships are stronger within the family
Swedish blod är tjockare än vatten
  • blod är tjockare än vattenrelationships are stronger within the family
Tagalog mas matimbang ang dugo kaysa tubig
  • mas matimbang ang dugo kaysa tubigrelationships are stronger within the family
Thai เลือดข้นกว่าน้ำ
  • เลือดข้นกว่าน้ำ (lêuat kôn gwàa nám)relationships are stronger within the family
Vietnamese một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã
  • một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lãrelationships are stronger within the family
Welsh nes penelin nag arddwrn, mae gwaed yn dewach na dŵr
  • nes penelin nag arddwrnrelationships are stronger within the family
  • mae gwaed yn dewach na dŵrrelationships are stronger within the family
Cite this entry
APA

blood is thicker than water. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20is%20thicker%20than%20water

MLA

“blood is thicker than water.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20is%20thicker%20than%20water. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “blood is thicker than water,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/blood%20is%20thicker%20than%20water.

Source: blood is thicker than water on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.