Children tend to resemble their parents in behavior, character, or abilities; traits are often inherited or learned from family.
This proverb has roots in various cultures, with similar expressions appearing in German and other European languages. The English version became common in the 19th century, drawing on the obvious observation of gravity and fruit trees.
While we use this phrase about personality traits, it's actually based on solid physics - apples really don't fall far from trees due to their weight and typical tree height! It's a rare case where folk wisdom and scientific observation perfectly align.
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