nurture over nature; breeding matters more than birth
Proverb emphasizing that upbringing and education are more important than family lineage or social status.
As the saying goes, 'nurture over nature'—no matter what family you're born into, people change depending on how they are raised.
A Japanese proverb contrasting 氏 (uji, 'family lineage') with 育ち (sodachi, 'upbringing'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects a common cultural value that personal development matters more than inherited status.