అట్టు పెట్టినమ్మకు అట్టున్నర.

This proverb describes a person who is so deprived or in such a desperate situation that even the smallest, lowest-quality help feels like a massive luxury. It is used to highlight extreme gratitude born out of severe necessity, or sometimes to mock someone's lack of standards due to their poverty-stricken state.

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 is used to describe someone who remains completely indifferent, unbothered, or unresponsive to a situation that should typically provoke a reaction. Just as a lime tree doesn't show immediate or visible changes when watered compared to other plants, it refers to a person's stoic or cold lack of concern.

This expression describes extreme ingratitude or betrayal. It refers to a person who harms their benefactor or someone who has helped them in their time of need. It is used to condemn the act of biting the hand that feeds you.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person who performs a service or favor for someone else ends up receiving an even larger share or better treatment than the recipient. It often highlights irony, favoritism, or the self-serving nature of the person in charge of distribution.

This proverb describes a common human tendency where a person who is present is treated with respect or given tasks, while those who are absent or failed to show up are criticized or spoken of with long, complaining tones (ragalu). It is used to highlight how people often grumble about those who aren't there to defend themselves or how presence dictates treatment.

This proverb describes a social irony where resources or gifts tend to flow towards those who are already wealthy or powerful, rather than to those in need. It highlights that everyone seeks to please the rich, while the poor are often ignored or even forced to give up what little they have to those above them.

This proverb describes a difficult or lose-lose situation where doing a favor or giving advice results in trouble for the benefactor. It is used when someone's kindness or honesty is met with ungratefulness or unexpected negative consequences, suggesting that sometimes helping others can backfire on the helper.

This expression is used to describe a futile effort or an action that yields no response. It refers to situations where one tries to evoke an emotion, reaction, or change in someone who is completely indifferent, stoic, or stubborn.