show one's true colors

Questions

What does show one's true colors mean?

To reveal how one really is, as opposed to how one has been portrayed or after having been deceptively and deliberately misleading.

Where does show one's true colors come from?

Nautical origin. The word colors (or colours) refers to the flag or ensign which every ship is obliged to fly at sea. It was once a common deception of pirates to “sail under false colours” and fly a friendly flag in order to get within close range of potential targets (other ships) without exciting suspicion. Only when the pirate ship reached close quarters would it unfurl its true colours.

How to pronounce show one's true colors

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “show one's true colors”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “show one's true colors”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “show one's true colors” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.