as the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined

短语

少成若天性

释义与例句

prov.
  1. 1.

    A person's formative experiences in youth influence their character during adulthood.

    少成若天性

词源

From the Epistles to Several Persons (1732): "'Tis education forms the common mind, Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined."

来源：wiktionary