# chalk and cheese

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/chalk-and-cheese
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Said of things that are very different, though possibly superficially alike.

## Examples

- My brother and I are like chalk and cheese.
- These two mobile phones look similar, but the software is chalk and cheese.
- Even though they are twins, their personalities are like chalk and cheese.
- The two cities are like chalk and cheese, as one is a quiet mountain village and the other is a crowded coastal metropolis.
- You cannot compare the original movie to the remake because the directing styles are total chalk and cheese.
- The two business partners were like chalk and cheese, yet their opposing strengths allowed the company to thrive in a competitive market.

## Origin

Attested in variant form since 1393. The surface of some cheeses, particularly unaged ones, resembles the surface of chalk: white, crumbling, but in substance cheese is much softer than chalk. It is interesting to note that lime chalk and cottage cheese forms a glue-like material used in the restoration of ancient half-timbered houses, perhaps suggesting an alternative original meaning. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.