DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

江山易改，本性難移

简江山易改，本性难移 · 繁江山易改，本性難移

Mandarin · pinyin jiāng shān yì gǎi , běn xìng nán yí

it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one's character (idiom)
you can't change who you are
Can the leopard change his spots?

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Characters in this entry

江: jiāng · large river; the Yangzi; surname
山: shān · mountain, hill, peak
易: yì · change; easy
改: gǎi · change, alter; improve, remodel
本: běn · root, origin, source; basis
性: xìng · nature, character, sex
難: Look up this written character
移: yí · change place, shift; move about
难: nán · difficult, arduous, hard; unable

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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