Mood:  spacey

I'm still trying my best to Japonese but, just like there is no time to write--I'm sure you noticed--there is very little time to study.

Anyway, I was digging around in Denshi Jisho (awesome Japanese online dictionary) to find all the different ways to say but--you know, like however, although, yet, in spite of-- and I came across some proverb type entries.  This one really stuck with me.  I mean, I suppose I like the meaning behind 'you can't judge a book by its cover' but the phrase has been so over-used, I'm kind of tired of it.  So when our language gets too cliched, lets move on!

提灯に釣り鐘

(ちょうちんにつりがね) means : paper lanterns and temple bells (esp. as an example of two things looking similar on the outside, but of a completely different nature); you can't judge a book by its cover.  I especially like how the whole proverb has boiled down to a grouping of two nouns unlike most of ours that are still doled out in complete sentences.