proverb · Legacy record
The friends of our friends are our friends.
The friends of our friends are our friends.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying extends friendship through friends’ connections. It presents a shared social circle as a basis for goodwill.
What the words are saying
The automatic equation leaves each new relationship unexamined. A qualified application can encourage welcoming contact without treating another person’s trust as proof of one’s own. Association does not establish character, agreement or an obligation to become close.
Everyday example
Someone welcomes an introduction while taking time to understand the new person for themselves.
When to use it
Use it to discuss introductions without automatic trust.
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What it does not mean
A shared friend does not establish a new person’s character or require friendship.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 703; PDF page 101
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.