ఆవలిస్తే పేగులు లెక్కపెట్టినట్టు
avaliste pegulu lekkapettinattu
Counting the intestines as soon as someone yawns.
This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely sharp, shrewd, or overly clever. It refers to a person who can instantly understand someone's hidden intentions or inner thoughts from just a small hint or gesture, even before the other person expresses them.
Related Phrases
పొమ్మనలేక పొగ పెట్టినట్టు
pommanaleka poga pettinattu
Not being able to tell him to go he smoked him out.
This expression describes a situation where someone is indirectly forced or pressured to leave or quit because the other person is too polite or hesitant to ask them directly. It is commonly used when someone creates an uncomfortable environment to drive another person away.
ఆకులు ఎత్తరా అంటే, విస్తళ్ళు లెక్కపెట్టినట్లు.
akulu ettara ante, vistallu lekkapettinatlu.
When asked to clear the leaves (plates), counting the leaf-plates instead.
This proverb describes a person who, instead of doing the work assigned to them, engages in useless tasks or makes excuses by over-analyzing the situation. It is used to criticize someone who procrastinates or avoids simple labor by focusing on irrelevant details.
ఇస్తే పెళ్ళి, లేకపోతే పేటాకులు
iste pelli, lekapote petakulu
If given, it's a wedding; if not, it's total destruction.
This expression describes an extreme, 'all or nothing' attitude or a situation that results in either a grand celebration or complete ruin. It is often used to characterize people who are unpredictable and prone to overreacting—becoming overly generous when happy but destructive or hostile when they don't get their way.
కడుపు చించుకుంటే కాళ్ళ మీద పడతాయి
kadupu chinchukunte kalla mida padatayi
If you rip open your stomach, the intestines fall on your own feet.
This expression is used to caution against exposing internal family secrets or private flaws of one's own people to the public. Just as damaging yourself only harms you and causes a mess at your own feet, revealing the faults of your relatives or close associates only brings disgrace and trouble back to yourself.
తిన్న ఇంటి వాసాలు లెక్కపెట్టినట్లు
tinna inti vasalu lekkapettinatlu
Like counting the rafters of the house where one was fed.
This expression is used to describe an act of extreme ingratitude or treachery. It refers to someone who harms or betrays the very person who helped or sheltered them in their time of need.
మీన మేషాలు లెక్కబెట్టడం
mina meshalu lekkabettadam
Counting Pisces and Aries
This expression refers to a person who is indecisive or procrastinating. It describes the act of unnecessarily delaying a decision or action by over-analyzing minor details, similar to someone idly staring at the stars and counting zodiac signs instead of focusing on the task at hand.
ఆవులిస్తే పేగులు లెక్కపెట్టినట్లు
avuliste pegulu lekkapettinatlu
As if counting the intestines when someone yawns.
This expression describes someone who is extremely shrewd, intuitive, or cunning. It refers to a person who can understand a person's hidden intentions or the entire situation with just a small hint or a simple gesture, much like claiming to see one's internal organs just from an open mouth.
ఎల్లి శెట్టి లెక్క ఏక లెక్క.
elli shetti lekka eka lekka.
Elli Šetti's account is a single account. Receipts and disbursements, profits and loss, all muddled up together.
This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely stubborn or inflexible in their reasoning. It refers to someone who makes an initial calculation or decision and refuses to change it, even when shown to be wrong or when circumstances change. It highlights a lack of logic or a 'one-track' mind.
మీన మేషాలు లెక్కించడం
mina meshalu lekkinchadam
Counting Pisces and Aries.
This expression refers to a state of indecisiveness, hesitation, or procrastination. It is used when someone wastes time or delays a decision by over-analyzing trivial things or waiting for an auspicious moment rather than taking action.
ఆకులు ఎత్తమంటే విస్తళ్ళు లెక్కపెట్టినట్లు
akulu ettamante vistallu lekkapettinatlu
When asked to clear the leaves (plates), counting the number of plates instead.
This proverb describes a person who avoids doing the actual work assigned to them by engaging in useless calculations or trivial details. It is used to mock someone who makes excuses or performs unnecessary side-tasks to delay or evade their primary responsibility.