One man's trash is another man's treasure

Definition

What one person considers worthless or undesirable may be valuable or useful to someone else.

Etymology

This concept appears in various forms throughout history, with similar expressions in Latin ('quod uni vitium, alii voluptas'). The modern English phrasing emerged in the 20th century, gaining popularity with the rise of flea markets and garage sales.

Kelly Says

This phrase perfectly captures the subjective nature of value and has become the unofficial motto of entire industries - from antique dealing to upcycling. It's also the philosophical foundation behind every thrift store and recycling program!

Translations

AMአማርኛ
አንድ ሰው የሚያስበል ነገር ሌላ ሰው የሚያስበል ነገር
a.nd sɛ.w ya.mɪ.ja.s.bɛl nɛ.ɡɛr le.la sɛ.w ya.mɪ.ja.s.bɛl nɛ.ɡɛr
ARالعربية
ما هو زبالة لشخص ما هو كنز لشخص آخر
ma huwa zibāla li-šaḫṣin mā huwa kinz li-šaḫṣin āḫar
BNবাংলা
একজনের আবর্জনা অন্যের সম্পদ
ek.jo.ner abɔr.dʒɔ.na ɔn.jer ʃɔm.pɔd
CACatalà
el que és residu per a un és tresor per a un altre
el ke ɛs re.zi.du pe.r a un ɛs tre.zor pe.r a un al.tre
CSČeština
co je pro jednoho odpad, je pro druhého poklad
tso je pro jɛdnoho odpɑd je pro druhɛho poklad
DADansk
en persons affald er en anden persons skat
en perˈsɔns aˈfald ɛr en anˈdɛn perˈsɔns skad
DEDeutsch
was dem einen Müll ist, ist dem anderen Schatz
vas deːm ˈaɪnən myl ɪst ɪst deːm ˈaŋdəɾən ʃats
ELΕλληνικά
αυτά που είναι σκουπίδια για τον ένα, είναι θησαυρός για τον άλλο
af.tá pu ˈi.ne ska.piˈði.a ʝa toˈn ɛ.na ˈi.ne ˈθi.saf.ros ʝa toˈn ˈal.o
ESEspañol
lo que para uno es basura, para otro es tesoro
lo ke ˈpa.ɾa ˈu.no es baˈsu.ɾa ˈpa.ɾa ˈot.ɾo es teˈso.ɾo
FAفارسی
زباله یک نفر برای نفر دیگر گنج
zibāle yek nafar barāye nafar digar ganj
FISuomi
toisen roskat ovat toisen aarteita
toːi.sen ˈros.kat ˈo.vat toːi.sen ˈaːr.tei.tah
FRFrançais
ce qui est déchet pour l'un est trésor pour l'autre
sə.ki ɛ dɛ.ʃɛ pʊʁ ly.pɛʁ ɛ tʁe.zɔʁ pʊʁ lo.tʁ
GUGU
એક માણસનો કચરો બીજા માણસનો ધન
ek māṇas.nō ka.tʃro bī.jā māṇas.nō dʰan
HAHA
sharar gari daya shine arziki ga daya
ʃa.raɾ ga.ri da.ja ʃi.ne aɾ.zi.ki ga da.ja
HEעברית
אשר לאחד הוא אשפה, לאחר הוא אוצר
aʃer la.a.ḥad hu aʃ.pah la.a.ḥer hu o.t͡sar
HIहिन्दी
एक का कूड़ा दूसरे का खजाना
ek kā kūḍā dusre kā khazānā
HUMagyar
ami az egyiknek szemét, az a másiknak kincs
ɒ.mi ɒz ɛ.dʒik.nɛk ˈsɛ.meːt ɒz ɒ ˈma.ʃik.nɑk ˈkint͡s
IDBahasa Indonesia
sampah orang satu adalah harta karun orang lain
sam.pah o.rang sa.tu a.dalah har.tah ka.run o.rang la.in
IGIG
nke onye ọzọ na-efu efu nke onye ọzọ na-achọ
n.kɛ o.ɲe o.zo na.e.fu e.fu n.kɛ o.ɲe o.zo na.a.t͡ʃo
ITItaliano
ciò che per uno è spazzatura, per un altro è tesoro
tʃo ke peɾ ˈu.no ɛ spa.tsaˈtu.ɾa peɾ uˈn.al.tɾo ɛ teˈso.ɾo
JA日本語
人のごみは人の宝
hito no gomi wa hito no takara
KKKK
бір адамның қоқысы енді бір адамның байлығы
bɪr ɑ.dɑm.nɯŋ qo.qɯ.sɯ jɛn.dɪ bɪr ɑ.dɑm.nɯŋ ba.jɫɯ.ɣɯ
KMKM
អ្វីៗដែលមនុស្សម្នាក់បង្គន់ គឺជារបស់មានតម្លៃរបស់មនុស្សម្នាក់ទៀត
ʔa.wiː ɗɛl mu.nus m.naːk bɑŋ.kun kɨi ciə ɗɛl rɔ.bɑh mɑn tɑ.m.lɨj rɔ.bɑh mu.nus m.naːk tiət
KO한국어
남의 쓰레기는 남의 보물
nam-ŭi sseule-gi-neun nam-ŭi bomul
MRMR
एकाच्या स्मशानातले सोने दुसऱ्याच्या खजिन्यात
e.kɑ.tʃ.ja sma.ʃa.na.tɑ.le so.ne du.sɾ.ja.tʃ.ja kha.dʒi.n.ja.t
MSBahasa Melayu
sampah orang satu adalah harta karun orang lain
sam.pah o.rang sa.tu a.dalah har.tah ka.run o.rang la.in
MYမြန်မာ
တစ်ဦးက စွန့်ပစ်တယ် တစ်ဦးက ရှာတယ်
ta.tɛʔ kauŋ pɪʔ te ta.tɛʔ kha ʃa te
NLNederlands
wat voor de een afval is, is voor de ander schat
wat voɾ de ɛn ɑfval ɪs ɪs voɾ de ɑndər xat
NONorsk
en persons søppel er en annen persons skatt
en perˈsɔns søpːɛl ɛr en anˈnɛn perˈsɔns skatː
PAPA
ਇੱਕ ਦੀ ਰदਦੀ ਦੂਜੇ ਦਾ ਖ਼ਜ਼ਾਨਾ
i.kk ɖi ra.dɖi du.je ɖa xaz.a.na
PLPolski
co dla jednego jest śmieciem, dla drugiego jest skarbem
t͡sɔ d͡la ˈjɛd.nɛɡɔ ˈjɛst ɕmjɛt͡ɕɛm d͡la ˈdru.d͡ʑi.ɛɡɔ ˈjɛst ˈskar.bɛm
PTPortuguês
o lixo de um é o tesouro de outro
o ˈliʃu dɨ ˈũ ɛ o tɨˈsoʁu dɨ ˈoutɾu
RORomână
ceea ce este gunoi pentru unul este comoară pentru altul
tʃe.a tʃe ɛs.te ɡu.noj pen.tru u.nul ɛs.te ko.ma.ră pen.tru al.tul
RUРусский
чужой мусор - чужое сокровище
tʃuʒɔj muˈsor tʃuʒɔj sakraˈvʲiʃtʃɛ
SVSvenska
en persons skräp är en annan persons skatt
en perˈsohns skrɛp ɛr en anˈnan perˈsohns skatː
SWKiswahili
taka za mtu mmoja ni hazina za mtu mwingine
ta.ka za m.tu m.mɔ.dʒa ni ha.zi.na za m.tu m.wi.ŋɡi.ne
TAதமிழ்
ஒருவருக்குக் குப்பை இன்னொருவருக்குப் பொக்கிஷம்
o.ru.varuk.ku kup.pai i.n.no.ru.varuk.ku pok.ki.ʂam
TEతెలుగు
ఒకరి వ్యర్థం మరొకరి సిరి
o.kari v.yar.tʰam ma.ro.kari si.ri
THไทย
ของที่คนหนึ่งถือว่าไร้ค่า อาจเป็นของมีค่าสำหรับอีกคน
kʰoŋ tʰîi kʰon nɯŋ tʰɯ̂a wâi râi kʰâa ʔa.tɕak pen kʰoŋ mîi kʰâa samrap ʔìik kʰon
TLTL
ang basura ng isa ay kayamanan ng iba
aŋ ba.su.ra ng i.sa ay ka.ya.ma.nan ng i.ba
TRTürkçe
birinin çöpü diğerinin hazinesi
bi.ri.nin tʃø.py di.ɡe.ri.nin ha.zi.ne.si
UKУкраїнська
що для одного сміття, для іншого скарб
ʃt͡o d͡lja odnɔho smitʹtja d͡lja inʃɔho skarb
URاردو
ایک کا کچرا دوسرے کا خزانہ
ek kā kach.rā du.sre kā khazānā
VITiếng Việt
rác của người này là kho báu của người khác
rác cua nguọi này là kho báu cua nguọi khác
YOYO
ohun ti eni kan ja, ohun ti eni miran
o.hun ti e.ni kan dʒa o.hun ti e.ni mi.ran
ZH中文
一人的垃圾是另一个人的宝藏
yī gè rén de lājī shì lìng yī gè rén de bǎo zàng
ZUZU
into eyenye enye encane kuye into eyenye enye enkulu
i nto e.je.ɲe e.ɲe eŋ.kane ku.je i nto e.je.ɲe e.ɲe eŋ.ku.lu

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Uses 'man' as default universal human. Reflects historical practice of male as unmarked category while female required marking.

Inclusive Usage

Rephrase as 'one person's trash is another person's treasure' or 'what's trash to one is treasure to another.'

Inclusive Alternatives

["one person's trash is another person's treasure","what's trash to one is treasure to another"]

Related Words

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