The salt of the earth Meaning in English
expression
thuh SAWLT uhv thuh URTH
thuh SOLT uhv thuh URTH
Definition
If you call someone 'the salt of the earth,' you mean they are very good, honest, and reliable people — the kind you trust and respect deeply.
Usage & Nuances
Usually used to praise ordinary, hardworking, humble people. It is always positive and a little formal or literary; not common in casual speech. Not used for famous or flashy individuals.
Spanish: buena persona - personas excepcionales (figurado)Portuguese (BR): pessoa admirável - pessoa íntegra (expressão)Portuguese (PT): pessoa admirável - pessoa íntegra (expressão)Chinese (Simplified): 社会的中坚 - 质朴正直的人Chinese (Traditional): 社會的中堅 - 質樸正直的人Hindi: सज्जन व्यक्ति - बहुत अच्छा इंसानArabic: خيرة الناس - أشخاص طيبون للغايةBengali: ধরণীর নুন - সাদাসিধে ভালো মানুষRussian: соль землиJapanese: 世の中の塩 - 本当に誠実な人Vietnamese: tinh hoa của xã hội - người tốt bụng và trung thựcKorean: 세상의 소금 - 진정한 선한 사람Turkish: topluma faydalı kimse - dünyanın iyisiUrdu: زمین کا نمک - نہایت ایمان دار اور بھلا انسانIndonesian: garam dunia - orang yang sangat baik dan jujur
Example Sentences
My grandmother is the salt of the earth.
basic
People in this small town are the salt of the earth.
basic
He works hard every day and truly is the salt of the earth.
basic
You can always count on her—she’s the salt of the earth.
natural
Those volunteers are the salt of the earth—they do everything with kindness.
natural
Whenever I need advice, I talk to Jake—he’s the salt of the earth.
natural