బిడ్డలు గల తండ్రులెందరో ఉన్నారుగాని, తండ్రిగల బిడ్డలు చాల తక్కువ.

This expression is used to highlight hereditary traits, behaviors, or similarities between a father and his son. It implies that the son is naturally expected to behave exactly like his father, whether in a positive sense (excellence, skill) or a negative one (stubbornness, bad habits).

Like father, like son. Such a father, such a son. (Portuguese.)* He is his father's son. (Latin.)†

This proverb is used to describe a witty or sarcastic retort to an insult. It highlights a situation where someone tries to insult another person, but the target cleverly turns the logic back on the insulter, making them the target of their own abuse. It is used when someone attempts to belittle others but ends up looking foolish due to the recipient's quick-witted response.

This expression is used to describe a situation where innocent or vulnerable people cannot thrive or survive under the control of cruel, greedy, or evil individuals. It implies that being in a predatory environment inevitably leads to destruction.

This is a sarcastic expression or proverb used to mock someone who tries to establish a non-existent or irrelevant relationship between two people. It highlights that the connection being mentioned is so obvious or general (like both being men) that it isn't a real relationship at all. It is used to dismiss someone's attempt to claim kinship or closeness where none exists.

This expression refers to a situation involving highly disorganized, restless, or unmanageable people. Just as it is impossible to weigh live frogs on a scale because they keep jumping out, it describes a task of trying to manage a group where as soon as one person is settled, another causes trouble or leaves.

This expression is used to describe an environment where vulnerable people or valuable things cannot thrive or survive because they are surrounded by cruel, corrupt, or destructive forces. It implies that a positive outcome is impossible in a predatory or toxic atmosphere.

This expression highlights the cycle of life and the continuity of generations. It emphasizes that the way a child is raised today determines the kind of parent and leader they will become in the future, suggesting that the future of society rests on the upbringing of its children.

This rhetorical question is used to imply that a son naturally inherits the qualities, character, or reputation of his father. It is typically used when someone displays a trait (either good or bad) that is very similar to their father's known behavior, essentially meaning 'Like father, like son'.

This is a blunt rhetorical question used to describe a situation where there is no clear ownership, responsibility, or origin. It is often applied to projects, tasks, or issues where no one is willing to take accountability or where the source is impossible to determine.

This proverb highlights the changing nature of children as they grow up. It suggests that while children are easy to manage and dependent when they are infants (held in a cloth cradle or 'addalu'), they become independent, headstrong, or even ungrateful once they reach adulthood (represented by 'gaddalu' or beards). It is used to express a parent's frustration when adult children no longer listen or follow their guidance.