అబ్బాయి పోతురాజు, అమ్మాయి గంగానమ్మ
abbayi poturaju, ammayi ganganamma
The boy is Pothuraju, and the girl is Ganganamma.
This expression is used to describe a couple or a pair of people who are perfectly matched in their nature, often in a humorous or slightly mocking way. Pothuraju and Ganganamma are fierce local deities; thus, the phrase implies that both individuals are equally aggressive, stubborn, or eccentric, making them a 'made for each other' pair in their own unique way.
Related Phrases
ఆరేళ్ళ అబ్బాయి 'అమ్మా' అంటే వాడి అమ్మ అబ్బురపడిందట
arella abbayi amma ante vadi amma abburapadindata
When a six-year-old boy finally said 'Mother', his mother was supposedly amazed.
This expression is used to mock someone who takes an excessively long time to do something basic or obvious, and then expects praise or wonder for it. It highlights that the achievement is actually delayed and overdue rather than being a cause for genuine surprise.
అమ్మాయి వస్తే అన్నీ అణుగుతవి
ammayi vaste anni anugutavi
Once the girl arrives, everything will settle down.
This proverb suggests that after getting married (when the daughter-in-law enters the house), a man's recklessness or wandering nature will naturally decrease as he takes on responsibilities. It is often used when parents discuss marriage as a solution for a son's irresponsible behavior.
తిండికి తిమ్మరాజు, పనికి పోతురాజు
tindiki timmaraju, paniki poturaju
A king at eating, but a buffalo at working.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is very enthusiastic and consumes a lot when it comes to food, but becomes extremely lazy or avoids effort when it is time to work. It highlights the irony of having great energy for consumption but zero energy for productivity.
అబ్బరాన అబ్బాయి పుడితే, ఆముదముతో ముడ్డి కడిగిందట!
abbarana abbayi pudite, amudamuto muddi kadigindata!
When a boy was finally born after a long wait, she washed his bottom with castor oil!
This proverb is used to mock people who show excessive, unnecessary, or extravagant care over something they have newly acquired or achieved after a long time. It highlights over-enthusiasm or over-pampering that borders on the ridiculous.
గంగాధరుడు చచ్చినాడు అమ్మా!
gangadharudu chachchinadu amma!
O Madam! Gangâdhara is dead. The story is as follows :—The washerwoman of a certain Queen had a female donkey which was pregnant. The woman vowed to Siva that if the donkey was safely delivered she would call the young one Gangâdhara ( one of the names of Siva, signifying " the receiver of the Ganges" ). The birth took place and the vow was fulfilled, but after a short time the young donkey died. The washerwoman was in great grief, neglected to bring the Queen's clothes, and weeping cried out " Gangâdhara is dead!" The servant sent from the palace, thinking that Gangâdhara must be some impor- tant person, went crying to the Queen. The Queen believing that a relation of the king had died commenced to weep, her whole household joining in her lamentations—the king on enquiring the cause of his consort's grief received the same information that Gangâdhara was dead, whereupon, imagining that he was a relation of the Queen's, he joined in the general howling, in which he was assisted by all his court! When the truth was at last known, all were ashamed.
This is a humorous expression from a famous Telugu folk story (Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha). It is used to describe a situation where someone reveals a 'secret' or a piece of news that everyone already knows, or when someone states the obvious with unnecessary dramatic flair. In the story, the disciples try to hide a death that is already apparent to everyone.
పోలేరమ్మ పెండ్లిలో పోతురాజు పెత్తనం
poleramma pendlilo poturaju pettanam
Pothuraju's authority in Poleramma's wedding.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where an insignificant person or someone with no real authority tries to dominate or take charge of an event that doesn't belong to them. It refers to people who act like they are the main person in charge when they are actually just a minor participant.
అబ్బ బావి తవ్విస్తే, అబ్బాయి పూడ్చించాడట
abba bavi tavviste, abbayi pudchinchadata
While the father got a well dug, the son got it filled up.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a son ruins the hard work or reputation built by his father. It highlights the contrast between a constructive predecessor and a destructive successor, or a situation where progress is immediately undone by the next generation's foolishness or malice.
తిండికి తిమ్మరాజు, పనికి పోతరాజు
tindiki timmaraju, paniki potaraju
He is a Timma Râzu (monkey-king) at eating; and a Pôta Râzu ( buffalo-king ) at work.
This proverb is used to describe a lazy person who is always first in line when it comes to eating or enjoying benefits, but disappears or becomes completely incompetent when there is work to be done. 'Thimmaraju' implies a regal presence at the dining table, while 'Potharaju' here signifies someone who avoids tasks or is useless at labor.
As greedy as a monkey and as lazy as a buffalo. Like the smith's dog, that sleeps at the sound of the hammer, and wakes at the crashing of the teeth. He eats till he sweats, and works till he freezes.
కాలు వంగినగాని, గంగానమ్మయినా పట్టదు.
kalu vanginagani, ganganammayina pattadu.
Even if the leg bends, even Goddess Gangamma wouldn't hold it.
This expression is used to describe an extremely stingy or miserly person. It suggests that even in a situation where they are forced to bow or humble themselves (like bending a leg), they are so tight-fisted that even a deity associated with cleansing and mercy wouldn't be able to get anything out of them, or they wouldn't offer anything even in extreme circumstances.
అబ్బ త్రవ్విస్తే అబ్బాయి పూడ్పించినాడు
abba travviste abbayi pudpinchinadu
The father had it dug, and the son had it filled.
This expression is used to describe a situation where a child squanders or destroys the hard work and wealth accumulated by their parents. It highlights the contrast between the creative efforts of one generation and the destructive or wasteful nature of the next.