chip off the old block

1. An expression used of people who closely resemble their parents in some way: “Mark just won the same sailboat race his father won twenty years ago; he's a chip off the old block.”

Idioms and Phrases

A person who closely resembles a parent, as in Like her mother, Karen has very little patience—a chip off the old block . This term, with its analogy to a chip of stone or wood that closely resembles the larger block it was cut from, dates from ancient times (Theocritus, Idyls , c. 270 b.c. ). In English it was already a proverb by the 17th century, then often put as chip of the old block .

Example Sentences

A new story by investigative reporter Michael Isikoff in the SpyTalk newsletter suggests that Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, may be a chip off the old block.

From Slate

A position as a high school principal led his father to Lakeland, Fla., where Murray was born on Sept. 26, 1929, and nicknamed “Chip,” as in “chip off the old block.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Chip off the old block,” Brian said.

From New York Times

ITV describes Jack's character as "a livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies".

From BBC

In that regard, he’s a chip off the old block.

From Seattle Times