outward appearance cannot be an indicator of someone or something’s value or worth
you cannot know what someone or something is like just by looking the person or thing’s appearance
the quality or character of someone or something cannot be judged just by looking at them
an opinion of someone or something cannot be formed solely by seeing what’s on the surface
The candidate did not look very intelligent, but you can’t judge a book by its cover.
The hotel looked attractive from outside, but the rooms were damp and not well maintained. You can’t judge a book by its cover!
Do not form opinions of a persons character by looking at his appearance. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
At first we did not want to go into the restaurant as it looked small and cramped; but the food was delicious – we realized that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
The car was small and looked unsuited for a long trip, but packed a lot of power and was very solid. You can’t judge a book by its cover.
That man may look very small and insignificant, but don’t judge a book by its cover – he’s a very powerful man in his circle.
There is no origin for this idiom
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definition
Common phrase that has a specific meaning.