అరచేతిలో బెల్లం పెట్టి, మోచేతి వరకు నాకించినట్లు

arachetilo bellam petti, mocheti varaku nakinchinatlu

Translation

Placing jaggery in the palm and making one lick up to the elbow.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone promises or offers something attractive but makes it practically impossible to obtain or enjoy. It refers to deceptive tactics or giving someone a hard time after offering a benefit, essentially making them struggle for something that was supposed to be easy.

Related Phrases

Like fruits growing on the palm of one's hand.

This expression is used to describe something that is impossible or highly unlikely to happen. Just as it is biologically impossible for fruit to grow directly from a human palm, it refers to unrealistic claims or deceptive promises that defy logic and reality.

He offers heaven in the palm of his hand. Deceiving by false hopes.

This expression is used to describe someone who makes grand, unrealistic promises or uses deceptive talk to create illusions of great success or prosperity. It refers to the act of fooling someone by making them believe something impossible is easily achievable.

Like having butter in your hand and searching the whole village for ghee.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone searches far and wide for something they already possess or have easy access to. Since ghee is made from butter, searching for ghee while holding butter is foolish. It highlights human nature of overlooking obvious solutions or resources available to them while seeking them elsewhere.

Like licking up to the elbow just because there is jaggery.

This proverb describes someone who is excessively greedy or over-indulgent. It refers to a situation where a person tries to exploit a benefit or resource beyond reasonable limits, often ending up in an awkward or unseemly position because of their lack of self-control.

Like peeling a banana and placing it in one's hand.

This expression is used to describe a situation where something complex is explained or presented in an extremely simple, clear, and effortless manner. It implies making a task so easy for someone that they hardly have to put in any effort to understand or complete it.

Like an amla fruit in the palm of one's hand

This expression is used to describe something that is crystal clear, perfectly obvious, or very easy to understand and perceive. Just as an amla fruit placed in an open palm can be seen clearly from all sides without any obstruction, this phrase refers to facts or situations that are transparent and leave no room for doubt.

If you write 'Jaggery' on your palm and lick it, will it be sweet?

This proverb is used to illustrate that mere words or theoretical knowledge cannot substitute for actual experience or hard work. Just as writing the name of a sweet substance doesn't provide the taste of it, simply talking about a task or goal without taking action will not yield results.

Like throwing away the molasses and licking the leaf.

This expression describes a person who lets go of a valuable opportunity or a significant gain and instead settles for something trivial or insignificant. It is used to mock someone's lack of foresight or poor decision-making when they prioritize minor details over the main essence.

Putting jaggery in the palm and making one lick it all the way up to the elbow.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone promises or offers something attractive but makes the process so difficult, tricky, or elusive that the person never actually gets to enjoy the benefit. It refers to deceptive behavior or giving someone a 'runaround' while pretending to be helpful.

If you write the word 'jaggery' on your palm and lick it, will it be sweet?

This proverb is used to emphasize that mere talk or writing about something is not a substitute for the actual experience or action. It highlights that practical results require real effort and substances, not just symbolic gestures or words.