Proverb / Kotowaza
青菜に塩
Describing someone who has lost their energy and become visibly dejected or wilted.
Salt on green vegetables
Quick Answer
Describing someone who has lost their energy and become visibly dejected or wilted.
- Literal Image
- Salt on green vegetables
- How to Use It
- Used when observing someone who looks visibly down or depressed, after receiving bad news or failing at something.
Meaning
This expression compares a person who has lost their spirit or enthusiasm to green vegetables that suddenly wilt when salt is sprinkled on them. It describes a state of being visibly discouraged, disheartened, or lacking vitality after a disappointment or setback.
Literal Image
Salt on green vegetables
How to Use It
Used when observing someone who looks visibly down or depressed, after receiving bad news or failing at something.
Tone
Neutral to slightly humorous due to the visual simile of a person 'wilting' like a vegetable.
Examples
期待していた試験の結果が悪かったのか、彼は青菜に塩といった様子で肩を落として帰ってきた。
Perhaps because his test results weren't as good as he'd hoped, he came home with his shoulders slumped, looking completely dejected.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
While the individual words for 'green vegetable' and 'salt' are basic, the idiomatic use of this comparison to describe human discouragement requires understanding of the specific metaphor.
青菜
あおな / aona
green vegetables
塩
しお / shio
salt
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
It refers to a temporary state of discouragement or loss of spirit, not a permanent personality trait or physical illness.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
The proverb is based on the way fresh green vegetables suddenly wilt and lose their moisture due to osmotic pressure when salt is applied. This physical reaction is used as a metaphor for a person losing their drive and becoming limp with disappointment.
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Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.