చేతగానమ్మకు శౌర్యమెక్కువ

chetaganammaku shauryamekkuva

Translation

An incompetent woman has excessive bravery (in words).

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe people who lack actual skills or the ability to perform a task, but compensate for it by boasting, acting aggressive, or talking big. It is similar to the English expression 'Empty vessels make the most noise.'

Related Phrases

If food is in excess, rituals increase; if rituals increase, fortune decreases.

This proverb suggests that when people have too much luxury or idle time, they tend to focus excessively on rigid traditions and unnecessary rituals. However, becoming overly obsessed with such formalities can lead to one's downfall or misfortune. It is a cautionary saying about maintaining balance and avoiding extreme pedantry.

Does the one who rose from ruin have more courage, or does the one who fell from prosperity have more sorrows?

This proverb highlights the contrast between two life experiences: resilience and loss. It suggests that a person who has overcome failure (Chedi Brathikinavaadu) gains immense strength and bravery, whereas a person who has fallen from a high status (Brathiki Chedinavaadu) suffers from deep emotional pain and many hardships. It is often used to describe the psychological state of people based on their life's trajectory.

The woman who gets startled is often sulky, and the woman with a swelling has more pain.

This proverb describes human nature and physical reality. It implies that a person with a guilty conscience or a sensitive nature is easily offended or reactive (sulky), just as a person with a physical ailment (like a boil or swelling) naturally feels more pain. It is often used to describe someone who reacts defensively or takes offense easily because they know they are in the wrong or are overly sensitive.

Valor without wisdom is like a sword without sharpness.

This proverb emphasizes that courage or bravery is useless, or even dangerous, if it is not guided by intelligence and wisdom. Just as a blunt sword cannot serve its purpose in battle despite its appearance, raw strength or courage without a strategic mind is ineffective in achieving goals.

Too small for a head-cloth and too large for a loincloth.

This expression is used to describe something that is of an awkward size or quality—too little for a significant purpose but too much for a trivial one. It refers to a person or thing that is caught in the middle, being neither here nor there, and therefore practically useless or difficult to categorize.

Low intelligence, high hunger

This expression is used to mock someone who lacks common sense or intelligence but has a very large appetite or demands a lot of resources. It describes a person who doesn't contribute much intellectually but consumes a lot.

Does one's caste or status increase just because they have plenty of food?

This proverb is used to criticize those who become arrogant or forget their roots and humble beginnings once they achieve prosperity or wealth. It serves as a reminder that having excess resources (food/wealth) does not change one's fundamental identity or make them superior to others.

Low intelligence, high hunger.

This expression is used to describe a person who lacks common sense or productivity but has excessive demands or needs. It highlights a mismatch between one's capabilities and their consumption or expectations, often used sarcastically to mock laziness or incompetence combined with greed.

For the one who arrived, a warm welcome; for the one who didn't, many complaints.

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.

An incompetent woman shows excessive bravado.

This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks the actual skill or ability to perform a task but compensates for it by making loud boasts, showing unnecessary anger, or acting aggressively. It is similar to the English saying 'Empty vessels make the most noise'.