Ain’t Worth a Hill of Beans

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "ain’t worth a hill of beans" means worthless, of little value, or not important. It’s a folksy way of dismissing something as not amounting to much.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

People out in the country still say 'ain’t worth a hill of beans'

Hillbilly Dude Says...

People out in the country still say 'ain’t worth a hill of beans'

Pronunciation

[AYNT wurth uh HILL uh BEENZ]

Meaning & Usage

- Worthless or of little value (idiom)

Mae:

Think it’s a fair trade?

Earl:

Nope, it ain’t worth a hill of beans.

- Unimportant, doesn’t matter (figurative)

Mae:

Will it rain tonight?

Earl:

Don’t make no difference - it ain’t worth a hill of beans either way.

★ Country folks often measure value by crops. A "hill of beans" is such a small, common thing that it became a figure for something trivial. ★

Origin and Etymology

The phrase dates back to the 1800s in American English. Beans were a cheap, everyday food - a "hill of beans" was easy to come by, so saying something wasn’t worth even that meant it had no value at all. It took deep root in Southern and Appalachian speech.

Usage Notes

Still widely used in the South and Appalachia, though understood everywhere. Outside the region, it may sound quaint or old-fashioned, but it’s easily recognized.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "ain’t worth a hill-uh beans." The "of" often drops to "uh."

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Does it literally mean beans?

No - it’s figurative, meaning something has little or no worth.

Do people still use it today?

Yes - especially in Southern/Appalachian talk, but folks outside the region know it too.

Why beans?

Beans were cheap, plentiful, and not considered valuable - so a "hill of beans" became shorthand for something trivial.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 22). Ain’t Worth a Hill of Beans. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/aint-worth-a-hill-of-beans
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Ain’t Worth a Hill of Beans." HillbillySlang.com, 22 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/aint-worth-a-hill-of-beans.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Ain’t Worth a Hill of Beans." HillbillySlang.com. September 22, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/aint-worth-a-hill-of-beans.

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