It is not the gift, but the thought that counts.

The saying contrasts material value with intention: what gives a gift its moral and emotional worth is the giver’s consideration, affection, or understanding of the recipient, not the price or grandeur of the object. It functions as a corrective to status-driven exchange, urging attention to motive and relationship rather than display. In a broader ethical sense, it aligns with traditions that judge actions by inward disposition—kindness, empathy, and sincerity—suggesting that even small offerings can carry great significance when they are thoughtfully chosen or meaningfully given.