“A chip off the old block” means someone is very similar to one of their parents, especially in character or behavior. It is an informal expression that can also refer to shared mannerisms or ability—not just appearance.
What does “a chip off the old block” mean?
The phrase compares a person to a small piece cut from a larger block: the piece is like the original. Applied to a child and parent, it means the child takes after that parent. The resemblance may be in personality, habits, behavior, or ability.
Cambridge Dictionary describes the idiom as informal and says the person may be similar in character to their father or mother. Despite examples that focus on fathers and sons, the phrase can refer to resemblance to either parent.
Examples in use
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“She’s a chip off the old block; she has her mother’s patience and love of teaching.”
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“He’s a chip off the old block—he and his father both tackle every repair with the same methodical care.”
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“The boy is a chip off the old block” can be critical rather than complimentary if the parent’s behavior being echoed is undesirable.
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Is the expression always complimentary?
No. It points to resemblance, not whether the resemblance is good. In everyday use it is often affectionate or admiring, but the same wording can criticize a child for repeating a parent’s unwanted conduct. Phrase Finder’s example from 1870 uses the phrase critically.
Where did “a chip off the old block” come from?
Phrase histories report older versions of the expression, including “chip of the same block” and “chip of the old block.” They do not establish a single definitive first use, so the dates below are reported examples rather than proof of when the idiom was coined.
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| Reported wording or example | Date and source | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| “a chip of the same block” | Robert Sanderson’s Sermons (1621), as quoted by Phrase Finder | An early reported form of the comparison. |
| “a Chip of the old block” | John Milton, An apology against – A modest confutation of the animadversions upon the remonstrant against Smectymnuus (1642), as quoted by Phrase Finder | An older form using “of the old block.” Idiom Origins also reports this attribution. |
| “a chip off the old block” | The Athens Messenger (Ohio), June 1870, as quoted by Phrase Finder | An example of the modern “off” wording; Phrase Finder presents it as an early example it found, not a conclusive first use. |
Phrase Finder reproduces Sanderson’s wording as: “Am not I a child of the same Adam … a chip of the same block, with him?” It quotes Milton as: “How well dost thou now appeare to be a Chip of the old block.” The newspaper example is: “The child is too often a chip off the old block.” These are historical quotations as reproduced by Phrase Finder; exact transcription should be checked against the original editions or archive when it matters.
Why does the wording shift from “of” to “off”?
The reported historical forms move from “chip of the same block” to “chip of the old block,” and later to “chip off the old block.” World Wide Words describes the change from “of” to “off” as probably taking place in the late nineteenth century. Phrase Finder’s June 1870 newspaper example records the modern wording, but an earliest example found by a source is not necessarily the first one ever printed or spoken.
What is the “block” made of?
The image is of a small piece separated from a larger block and sharing its material. The phrase-history sources do not agree on whether to picture wood specifically: World Wide Words describes a wooden block, while Phrase Finder allows wood or stone. The material is therefore not settled by these accounts, and it is not necessary to the idiom’s meaning.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sources
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Cambridge Dictionary, “A chip off the old block” — definition and informal register.
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Phrase Finder, “A Chip Off The Old Block – Meaning & Origin Of The Phrase” — reported forms and historical quotations.
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World Wide Words, “Chip off the old block: Origin and meaning” — metaphor and reported development of the wording.
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Idiom Origins, “Chip off the old block” — additional reported historical attributions.
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