అప్పిగా చెప్పులెక్కడరా అంటే ఆకాశాన కనపడలేదన్నాట్ట
appiga cheppulekkadara ante akashana kanapadaledannatta
When asked, 'Appiga, where are your slippers?', he replied, 'They are not visible in the sky'.
This proverb is used to describe a person who gives completely irrelevant or absurd answers to simple questions, often to evade a topic or due to sheer ignorance/absent-mindedness. It mocks someone looking for things in the most unlikely places or diverting a conversation with nonsense.
Related Phrases
ఆకాశరామన్న చదివేది ఆకాశ పంచాంగం
akasharamanna chadivedi akasha panchangam
Akasharamanna reads the celestial almanac.
This expression is used to describe someone who makes baseless claims, tells lies, or provides information from unknown or unreliable sources. It refers to someone (Akasharamanna) who talks about things that have no foundation in reality, similar to an anonymous or imaginary person giving a report that cannot be verified.
శిష్యా శిష్యా నా కాళ్ళకు చెప్పులున్నాయా అంటే, నక్షత్రమండలం ఈ మధ్య కనబడలేదు అన్నాడట.
shishya shishya na kallaku cheppulunnaya ante, nakshatramandalam i madhya kanabadaledu annadata.
When [the Guru] said "O disciple! disciple! are there shoes on my feet? [the pupil] replied "I don't see them between this and the stars." The Guru and his pupil were both gluttons, but the disciple excelled his master. On one occasion when the Guru—who had eaten so much that he could not see his toes which were numb—asked his pupil to inform him whether his shoes were on, the latter—who was filled up to his neck and was obliged to keep his face towards the sky—replied as above. To have a belly up to one's mouth. (*Spanish*)
This expression is used to describe an irrelevant or nonsensical response to a straightforward question. It highlights a lack of focus, poor communication, or someone being 'lost in the clouds' instead of addressing the immediate reality.
అరుంధతీ కనపడదు, అధ్వాన్నమూ కనపడదు, అరవై వరహాల అప్పు మాత్రము కనపడుతున్నది.
arundhati kanapadadu, adhvannamu kanapadadu, aravai varahala appu matramu kanapadutunnadi.
I can't see the star Arundhati, botheration take it! I can see nothing but a debt of sixty pagodas. Said by a man who had got over head and ears in debt for his marriage, when the priest pointed out the propitious star.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is so overwhelmed by their financial troubles or immediate material problems that they cannot focus on spirituality, beauty, or traditional rituals. 'Arundhati' refers to the star often pointed out during weddings as a symbol of virtue; here, it signifies spiritual or higher pursuits that are ignored due to the crushing weight of debt.
ఏకాదశి బ్రాహ్మణుడా అంటే ఆపదలు కాపురాలు చేస్తాయా అన్నాడట
ekadashi brahmanuda ante apadalu kapuralu chestaya annadata
When someone said 'Oh Ekaadasi Brahmin', he replied 'Will calamities come and live with me?'
This proverb is used to describe a person who is recklessly indifferent to warnings or signs of impending trouble. It mocks someone who, when cautioned about a small problem or a specific ritualistic requirement (like fasting on Ekaadasi), responds with extreme exaggeration or sarcasm instead of addressing the issue.
అరుంధతి కనబడలేదంటే ఆరువేల అప్పు కనిపించిందా అన్నట్టు
arundhati kanabadaledante aruvela appu kanipinchinda annattu
When someone said they couldn't see the Arundhati star, another asked if they could see their six thousand debt instead.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is overly preoccupied with their own troubles or financial burdens. While others are looking at something auspicious or subtle (like the Arundhati star during a wedding), this person can only focus on their overwhelming problems. It mocks the tendency of some people to bring up their personal grievances or debts in completely unrelated or positive situations.
అప్ప ఆరాటమే గాని బావ బతికే లక్షణం కనపడలేదట
appa aratame gani bava batike lakshanam kanapadaledata
The sister is anxious, but there are no signs of the brother-in-law surviving.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where one person puts in a lot of effort or shows great concern, but the outcome is destined to fail or the situation is beyond repair. It highlights the futility of effort when the core problem is unsolvable.
కలిగిన నాటి చుట్టాలు, కావాలన్నప్పుడు కనపడరు
kaligina nati chuttalu, kavalannappudu kanapadaru
Relatives from the days of prosperity are not to be found when needed.
This proverb describes 'fair-weather friends' or relatives who stay close only when you are wealthy or successful, but disappear or become unavailable when you fall on hard times or actually need their help.
ఆడలేక అంగణం వంకర అన్నట్లు
adaleka anganam vankara annatlu
Like saying the courtyard is crooked because one cannot dance.
This expression is used to describe a person who lacks skill or fails at a task, but blames external circumstances or their environment instead of admitting their own deficiency. It is the Telugu equivalent of the English proverb: 'A bad workman quarrels with his tools.'
చెప్పలు ఉన్నా చెప్పులు తెగినా చుట్టరికం తప్పదు
cheppalu unna cheppulu tegina chuttarikam tappadu
Whether you have wealth or your sandals are torn, kinship cannot be avoided.
This proverb highlights that family relationships and kinship obligations remain constant regardless of one's financial status. Whether a person is wealthy (symbolized by having possessions) or poor (symbolized by torn footwear), they must still maintain their social and familial ties.
ఎగవేసేవాడి ఇల్లెక్కడా అంటే ఊరికడపట అన్నట్లు
egavesevadi illekkada ante urikadapata annatlu
When asked where the evader's house is, the reply was 'At the edge of the village'.
This proverb describes someone who avoids responsibilities or debts. The 'edge of the village' signifies a location that is easy to escape from or difficult to pinpoint, representing the elusive and untrustworthy nature of a person who habitually defaults on their promises.