Reader's question: Could you explain “with a grain of salt”? My comments: To take a statement with "a grain of salt" or "a pinch of salt" means to accept it but to maintain a degree of skepticism about its truth. Thus, "a grain of salt" means a bit of common sense and skepticism. Example: I would take anything I read in the paper with a grain of salt. The idea comes from the fact that food is more easily swallowed if taken with a small amount of salt. The figurative meaning is that truth may require moderation by the notional application of "a grain of salt."
Related stories: Truth lies somewhere in the middle 本文僅代表作者本人觀點,與本網立場無關。歡迎大家討論學術問題,尊重他人,禁止人身攻擊和發布一切違反國家現行法律法規的內容。 About the author: Nelly Min?is a journalist at the China Daily website. | |
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