Dan J. Harkey

Educator & Private Money Lending Consultant

What is the origin and meaning of “a hill of beans”?

The phrase “a hill of beans” means something of little or no value, and it’s most often used in negative statements like “It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.”

by Dan J. Harkey

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Origin

  • The idea of beans representing low value goes back centuries. An older English expression, “not worth a bean,” appeared as early as 1380 in Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde: “Swich arguments ne been nat worth a bene.”
  • The specific phrase “a hill of beans” emerged in mid-19th-century America. Farmers in the U.S. often planted beans in small mounds or “hills” rather than rows, so a “hill of beans” referred to a small, insignificant clump. 

Cultural Popularity

The phrase became widely recognized after Humphrey Bogart’s line in Casablanca (1942):

“Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”

This cemented the idiom in popular culture. 

Here are some examples of how to use “a hill of beans” in sentences:

  • “All his promises don’t amount to a hill of beans if he can’t deliver results.”

  • “In the grand scheme of things, our argument yesterday isn’t worth a hill of beans.”

  • “Her opinion doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in that company.”

  • “The extra paperwork may seem annoying, but it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared to the benefits.”

  • “What you think about my decision doesn’t amount to a hill of beans—I’ve already made up my mind.”

In a business context, the idiom “a hill of beans” is often used to downplay the significance of something compared to larger priorities or outcomes. Here’s how it applies:

Meaning in Business

It suggests that a particular issue, cost, or factor is insignificant in the bigger picture—for example, when evaluating strategic decisions, financial impact, or operational priorities.

Examples

  • Financial Analysis

    “The extra $500 in office supplies doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared to our $2 million budget.”

  • Strategic Decision-Making

    “Whether we choose blue or green for the logo doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if the product fails to meet customer needs.”

  • Negotiations
    “That minor clause in the contract doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared to the overall partnership value.”
  • Risk Assessment

    “The risk of a one-day delay doesn’t amount to a hill of beans when the project timeline spans two years.”

Here’s a list of alternative idioms commonly used in business to express that something is minor or insignificant:

1. Drop in the bucket

  • Meaning: A minimal amount compared to what is needed or expected.
  • Example: “Our $10,000 donation is a drop in the bucket compared to the $5 million goal.”

2. Small potatoes

  • Meaning: Something trivial or unimportant compared to other matters.
  • Example: “That client’s complaint is small potatoes compared to the regulatory issues we’re facing.”

3. Chump change

  • Meaning: A negligible amount of money.
  • Example: “The cost of the software license is chump change compared to the savings it brings.”

4. Peanuts

  • Meaning: A minimal amount of money or value.
  • Example: “The settlement amount is peanuts compared to the potential lawsuit costs.”

5. A drop in the ocean

  • Meaning: An amount so small it makes no noticeable difference.
  • Example: “Our marketing budget is a drop in the ocean compared to our competitors.”

6. A rounding error

  • Meaning: So small it barely affects the total; often used in finance.
  • Example: “That expense is a rounding error in our annual budget.”

7. A blip on the radar

  • Meaning: A temporary or minor issue that doesn’t have a lasting impact.
  • Example: “The recent dip in sales is just a blip on the radar.”

Here are presentation-ready sentences using alternative idioms for minimizing importance in a business context:

1. Drop in the bucket

  • “Our $50,000 investment is a drop in the bucket compared to the $10 million required for full market entry.”

2. Small potatoes

  • “The cost overrun on this project is small potatoes compared to the revenue it will generate.”

3. Chump change

  • “The licensing fee is chump change when you consider the operational efficiencies we’ll gain.”

4. Peanuts

  • “The settlement amount is peanuts compared to the potential litigation costs we avoided.”

5. A drop in the ocean

  • “Our current ad spend is a drop in the ocean compared to what competitors are investing.”

6. A rounding error

  • “That $2,000 discrepancy is a rounding error in our $50 million annual budget.”

7. A blip on the radar

  • “The recent dip in sales is just a blip on the radar; long-term growth remains strong.”