చాకిరేవుకి వెనకపడింది, బంతి కూటికి ఏడిసింది

chakirevuki venakapadindi, banti kutiki edisindi

Translation

She was late to the laundry ghat, but cried for her spot at the community feast.

Meaning

This proverb describes a person who is lazy or late when it comes to hard work (like washing clothes at the river) but is the first to complain or demand a share when it comes to rewards or benefits (like a community meal). It is used to mock someone who shirks responsibility but is eager for the results.

Related Phrases

He sits down at the father-in-law's feast and gets up at the mother-in-law's feast.

This expression describes a person who is extremely lazy or an opportunist who overstays their welcome. It refers to someone who starts eating when one meal begins and continues sitting there until the next meal starts, essentially doing nothing but eating and lingering for a very long time.

First in line for food, last in line for work.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is lazy and irresponsible. It characterizes someone who shows great enthusiasm and haste when it is time to eat, but avoids or lags behind when there is work to be done.

The whistle is in one place, and the washerman's ghat is in another.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is a complete lack of coordination or connection between two related things. It refers to someone who acts or talks irrelevantly to the context, or when the effort and the result are completely disconnected.

No matter which riverbank you go to, you only catch a thorny fish.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone experiences the same bad luck or disappointing results regardless of where they go or what alternatives they try. It signifies that changing locations or methods does not always change one's unfortunate circumstances.

Like losing both the meal at home and the meal for the journey.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone tries to gain from two different options but ends up losing both due to indecision, poor planning, or greed. It is similar to the English idiom 'falling between two stools.'

Intelligence over education - the washing stone and the pot know it.

This proverb emphasizes that practical common sense and street smarts are often more valuable than formal education or theoretical knowledge. It suggests that real-world experience teaches things that books cannot.

Unnecessary or unpaid hard labor

This expression refers to performing excessive, strenuous work without getting any recognition, proper compensation, or productive result. It is often used to describe drudgery or a thankless job where the effort put in is far greater than the value received.

The washing ghat is in one place, while the work song is in another.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is a lack of coordination or a total disconnect between two related things. It refers to someone doing something completely irrelevant to the task at hand or being out of sync with the environment and purpose.

Where is the price for forced labor?

This expression is used to describe tasks performed without interest, compensation, or quality because they are being done under compulsion. It implies that when work is forced or unpaid, one cannot expect excellence or a specific value in return.

The game played is a game, and the song sung is a song.

This expression describes a situation where a person has absolute authority or dominance. It is used when someone's every action and word is accepted without question, or when they are in such a powerful position that whatever they do becomes the law or the norm.