అన్నం పెట్టినవారింటికి కన్నము పెట్టినట్లు

This expression is used to describe a futile action or an effort that serves no purpose. Just as applying kohl or mascara to a blind eye does not improve sight or serve an aesthetic purpose for the wearer, this phrase refers to doing something that is wasted or useless in a given context.

This proverb describes a situation where resources (money or effort) are spent with no possibility of recovery or return. Just as you cannot retrieve whitewash once it is applied to a wall, money spent on fleeting, unproductive pleasures or given to unreliable people is gone forever. It is used to warn someone about wasteful expenditure.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone prioritizes an outsider or a distant relative over their own family, only to end up losing everything. It highlights the folly of misplaced priorities and the resulting regret when a primary responsibility is neglected for a secondary one.

This expression describes an act that is counterproductive, harmful, or poorly timed. Just as dairy is traditionally avoided during a fever in Ayurveda and butter won't heal a deep head wound, it refers to actions that worsen a situation despite appearing like a gesture of care or help.

This proverb emphasizes the virtue of gratitude and loyalty. It suggests that it is a great sin or an act of extreme betrayal to harm or cheat someone who has helped or supported you during your time of need.

Kannam is a hole made by burglars in the wall of a house.

This proverb highlights that just as the quality of a cloth depends on the thread count (punjam), the outcome of a conversation or legal matter can be manipulated by bribery. It suggests that truth or promises can be twisted if someone is paid off, implying that a person's word might only hold value because of a bribe rather than integrity.

This proverb highlights the efficacy of incentives. Just as a certain amount of yarn is required to weave a fabric, a bribe or a small favor is often used to get someone to speak in one's favor or to get a task done. It is used to describe how things are influenced by external motivations or materials.

In Telugu culture, eating on a banana leaf or a stitched leaf plate (vistari) is traditional. This expression highlights the virtue of hospitality; it means that even a small act of providing a plate or assistance to someone in need of food earns one great spiritual merit (punyam), similar to the act of providing the actual meal itself.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone asks for help or a basic necessity, but instead of being helped, they are treated cruelly or given something harmful. It highlights the act of adding insult to injury or responding to a genuine plea with a malicious action.

This is a popular Telugu proverb used to express faith in divine providence or nature. It implies that the creator who gave life to a creature will also provide the necessary means for its sustenance. It is often said to reassure someone who is worried about their future or survival, suggesting that basic needs will inevitably be met.