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别人说"You're the salt of the earth"是啥意思?是褒是贬呢?美剧里很常见

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⭐1⭐

salt of the earth

褒义,表示:

好人;优秀份子;品德高尚的人;社会中坚


salt-of-the-earth

adj. 优秀的;高尚的


【解释】

This is another English idiom about food that is used to describe or compliment another person. When a person is described as this, they are considered decent and kind even if they are not important or of high social standing.


salt of the earth之所以有这个意思,是源于盐的价值。


纵观中国历史,食盐贸易以及盐税为维护古代中国各王朝的统一提供了强大的财政支持,这样的资源在古代理所当然占据非常重要的地位。


在国外,盐也是被视为宝物。例如,在古代罗马,士兵们的饷钱被称作a hand of salt,即一把盐。后来,因为直接发盐不方便,就以salarium(盐票)来替代,后来就演变成了salary,即薪水、工资的意思。


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【例句】

Her parents are real salt-of-the-earth types, even if they are not rich, they always help out their neighbors.

她的父母是很高尚的人,即使他们不富裕,也总是帮助他们的邻居。


Robert is the salt of the earth. He donates most of his salary to charity and volunteers weekly at the hospital.

罗伯特是个品德高尚的人。他把大部分薪水捐给慈善机构,每周在医院做志愿者。


⭐2⭐

worth one's salt

称职的; 值得尊敬的


【解释】

If you say, for example, that any doctor worth his or her salt would do something, you mean that any doctor who was good at his or her job or who deserved respect would do it.

This may refer to the fact that in Roman times soldiers were given an allowance of salt as part of their pay.


【例句】

You're not worth your salt. Pack up!

你太不称职了。赶紧卷铺盖走人!


Any teacher worth his salt knows that students who enjoy a lesson learn the most.

任何称职的老师都知道,喜欢上课的学生学得最多。


No golf teacher worth his salt would ever recommend that you grip the club tightly.

没有哪位称职的高尔夫教练会建议你紧紧地握住球杆。


⭐3⭐

a grain of salt

字面意思:一粒盐

引申意思:怀疑的态度


常说:

take sth with a grain of salt

对…半信半疑


【解释】

If you take something with a grain of salt, you do not believe that it is completely accurate or true.


【例句】

I take the guidebooks with a grain of salt, preferring to follow my instincts.

我对旅游指南半信半疑,我更喜欢凭直觉行事。


You have to take these findings with a grain of salt because respondents tend to give the answers they feel they should.

你必须对这些结果有所保留,因为调查对象们倾向于给出他们认为应该给的答案。


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