అంత పెద్ద కత్తి ఉన్నది గొరగలేవా అన్నట్లు

anta pedda katti unnadi goragaleva annatlu

Translation

Like saying, 'Can't you shave even with such a large knife?'

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone possesses great resources, power, or tools but is unable or unwilling to perform even a simple task. It highlights inefficiency or the inability to utilize one's strengths effectively for practical purposes.

Related Phrases

Having such a big book under your arm, can't you tell the almanac?

This proverb is used to mock someone who possesses all the necessary resources, tools, or appearances of knowledge but lacks the actual ability or skill to perform the task. It highlights the irony of having the means without the competence.

Like giving only half and calling oneself a paternal aunt.

This proverb describes someone who does a half-hearted or incomplete favor but demands the full respect or status associated with a close relative or a great benefactor. It is used to mock people who are stingy or perform duties poorly yet expect high praise and recognition for their supposed 'generosity'.

If one tells a lie, it should be like building a wall.

This expression suggests that if someone chooses to lie, the lie must be so consistent, firm, and well-constructed that it leaves no gaps for doubt, much like a solid wall. It is often used to comment on someone's deceptive skills or to point out that a lie must be convincing to be successful.

'Girl, what do you lose? Can't you be my mother's daughter-in-law for a little while?' he said.

This sarcastic proverb is used to describe a person who asks for an absurdly high or unreasonable favor while downplaying the commitment or consequence involved. It highlights the audacity of someone asking for something deeply personal or permanent as if it were a trivial, temporary help.

When someone says the ox has given birth, asking to tie the calf to the stake.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly follows or supports a baseless or illogical statement without thinking. Since oxen are male and cannot give birth, the response of 'tying the calf' shows a lack of common sense and a tendency to jump to conclusions based on hearsay.

Even if I fall down, the upper hand is mine.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is overly stubborn or arrogant, refusing to admit defeat even when they have clearly lost or failed. It characterizes someone who tries to save face by making excuses or claiming a moral victory despite an obvious failure.

If you give, it is like a wedding nail; if you don't, it is like a death nail.

This proverb highlights the extreme nature of certain relationships or situations where every action is scrutinized. It suggests that if someone provides help or a gift, it is celebrated with the importance of a wedding ritual (symbolized by the ceremonial parani/nail decoration), but if they fail to provide, it is treated as a grave offense or a bad omen, similar to a death ritual. It is used to describe demanding people who are never satisfied or situations with high stakes and no room for error.

When someone says the male buffalo has given birth, the other person asks to tie the calf to the peg.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly believes or agrees with an absurdity without using any logic or common sense. It highlights the foolishness of following a false statement with an even more irrational action.

Big sword Perumallu

A sarcastic expression used to describe a person who boasts about their bravery or status but is actually incompetent or useless in reality. It refers to someone who carries a large weapon for show but doesn't know how to use it or lacks the courage to do so.

If you give a little to the whole community, each individual gets only a tiny bit like a fingernail.

This proverb is used to describe situations where a resource, when distributed among a very large group of people, results in each person receiving a negligible or insignificant amount. It highlights the dilution of benefits in over-crowded or large-scale distributions.