చేతులు కాలిన తర్వాత ఆకులు పట్టుకున్నట్లు

chetulu kalina tarvata akulu pattukunnatlu

Translation

Like trying to hold onto leaves after the hands are burnt.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone takes precautions or looks for a solution after the damage is already done. It is the Telugu equivalent of 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' or 'crying over spilled milk.' It emphasizes that actions taken too late are futile.

Related Phrases

Kicking [a man ] when out of doors and falling at his feet in the house. Disgracing him in public and cringing to him in private.

This expression describes a hypocritical or manipulative behavior where someone insults or harms a person in public (or treats them poorly elsewhere) and then tries to act humble or seek forgiveness in private. It refers to a person who tries to cover up their public misdeeds with private apologies or subservience.

Like ghosts catching you at the very place you went to hide.

This proverb describes a situation where a person tries to escape a problem or seek safety, but ends up facing an even bigger danger or the exact same problem they were running from. It is similar to the English expression 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

Like making a fuss after everything is over.

This expression describes a situation where someone raises objections, starts a quarrel, or demands attention after a task is finished or a decision has already been implemented. It is used to criticize unnecessary complaints that occur too late to make any constructive difference.

Holding leaves after the fingers are burnt, by holding a hot cooking pot or object.

The proverb refers to action taken after something harmful has already happened. It is always desirable to take proper precautions to avoid any undesirable developments rather than regretting after the event. Prevention, they say, is better than cure.

What is the use of holding leaves after the hands are burnt?

This proverb is equivalent to the English expression 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' or 'crying over spilled milk.' It describes a situation where someone tries to take precautions or find a solution only after the damage has already been done. It is used to emphasize that foresight is better than hindsight.

Administering fire treatment after everything is over.

This expression describes taking drastic or corrective measures after it is already too late to save the situation. It is similar to the English idiom 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted' or performing a post-mortem instead of providing a cure.

Like kicking someone outside and then holding their feet inside the house

This expression describes a person's hypocritical or cowardly behavior where they behave aggressively or disrespectfully in public, but act submissive or apologetic in private. It refers to a situation where someone harms another person and later tries to please them for selfish reasons or out of fear.

Like the mother-in-law sticking her finger in after everything has been arranged.

This expression is used to describe someone who finds unnecessary faults or makes minor, annoying changes to something that is already perfect or complete. It highlights a tendency to interfere or nitpick just to assert authority or feel important, even when no help is needed.

People are like crows

This expression is used to convey that people will always find something to gossip about or criticize, regardless of what one does. Just as crows caw incessantly, society often engages in relentless talk or judgment. It is used to advise someone to ignore public opinion or gossip.

Like making someone climb a tree and then letting go of the support.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone encourages or forces another person to take on a difficult or risky task and then abandons them without any support when they need it most. It signifies betrayal or leaving someone in the lurch after getting them involved.