Salt of the earth Meaning in English
expression
SAWLT-uhv-thuh-URTH
SOLT-uhv-thuh-URTH
Definition
Someone who is very good, honest, and reliable; ordinary people who are regarded as the most valuable members of society.
Usage & Nuances
Idiom: always used approvingly for humble, hardworking, honest people—especially in rural or working-class contexts. Rarely used for the wealthy or powerful. Often plural: "the salt of the earth".
Spanish: buena persona - lo mejor de la sociedadPortuguese (BR): gente de valor - pessoa íntegraPortuguese (PT): pessoa íntegra - pessoa valiosaChinese (Simplified): 社会的中坚 - 品德高尚的人Chinese (Traditional): 社會的中堅 - 品德高尚的人Hindi: सम्मानित व्यक्ति - समाज का आधारArabic: من خيرة الناس - شخص أصيلBengali: ভদ্র ও সদাচরণ ব্যক্তি - পৃথিবীর মূল ধনRussian: лучшие люди - простые честные людиJapanese: 世の中の良心 - 誠実な人Vietnamese: người tốt bụng và lương thiện nhấtKorean: 세상의 소금 - 참된 사람Turkish: toplumun özü - dürüst ve güvenilir insanlarUrdu: انتہائی دیانتدار اور نیک لوگIndonesian: orang terbaik - orang jujur dan andal
Example Sentences
My grandfather is the salt of the earth.
basic
The volunteers here are truly the salt of the earth.
basic
People like her are the salt of the earth.
basic
You can always trust the salt of the earth to help in times of need.
natural
They’re the salt of the earth—honest, hardworking, and kind to everyone.
natural
When the community needed help, the salt of the earth stepped up without hesitation.
natural