చెవిటి పెద్దమ్మూ చేంత్రాడు తేవే అంటే, చెవుల పోగులు నా జన్మానా యెరగనన్నదట.
cheviti peddammu chentradu teve ante, chevula pogulu na janmana yeraganannadata.
When the deaf old lady was asked to bring the well-rope, she replied "I have never seen earrings in all my life."
This proverb describes a situation where there is a complete lack of communication or relevance in a conversation. It is used when someone gives an answer that is totally unrelated to the question asked, usually due to a misunderstanding, ignorance, or a tendency to focus only on their own personal concerns regardless of the context.
Applied to a stupid person not doing what he is told.
Related Phrases
నీ చెవులకు రాగిపోగులే అంటే, అవి నీకు లేవే అన్నట్లు
ni chevulaku ragipogule ante, avi niku leve annatlu
When someone says 'your ears have copper earrings', it is as if they are saying you don't even have those.
This expression is used to describe a sarcastic or mocking tone where someone points out a person's lack of wealth or status. It implies that the person being addressed is so poor or destitute that even mentioning cheap copper earrings is a way of highlighting that they don't even possess those basic items.
మూడు జన్మాల సంగతి చెప్పగలను; పూర్వ జన్మమునందు ఇచ్చి పెట్టుకోలేదు గనుక ఈ జన్మమునందు దేవుడు నాకు ఇవ్వలేదు, ఈ జన్మాన ఒకరికి ఇవ్వలేను గనుక ముందు జన్మకు నాకు ఏమీ లేదు.
mudu janmala sangati cheppagalanu; purva janmamunandu ichchi pettukoledu ganuka i janmamunandu devudu naku ivvaledu, i janmana okariki ivvalenu ganuka mundu janmaku naku emi ledu.
I can tell my state in three births—in the last I laid up nothing by generosity, in this God has given me nothing, and as I can give to no one here there is nothing for me in the next birth.
This expression reflects the philosophical belief in Karma and the cycle of rebirth. It is used to describe a state of perpetual poverty or a lack of resources, emphasizing that one's current situation is a result of past actions, and current inability to be charitable will result in future hardship. It serves as a commentary on the importance of generosity and the cause-and-effect nature of life.
చిన్ననాడూ లేవు, పెద్దనాడూ లేవు, చంద్రశేఖరుడినాడు చెవుల పోగులా.
chinnanadu levu, peddanadu levu, chandrashekharudinadu chevula pogula.
I had them not in childhood, nor in age, am I now to have earrings in Chandraśekhara's time ? Said by a father to whom earrings were offered when, in his old age, a son had been born to him.
This proverb describes a situation where someone suddenly acquires or flaunts something new late in life that they never had before, often appearing out of place or pretentious. It is used to mock people who experience sudden prosperity or change their habits inconsistently with their past life, or to describe an unexpected event happening at an unusual time.
కొండవీటి చేంత్రాడు
kondaviti chentradu
Like a well-rope at Konḍaviḍu. Where water is very scarce and the wells very deep. Said of a long-winded story.
This expression refers to something that is extraordinarily long, never-ending, or excessively lengthy. It is typically used to describe long stories, speeches, documents, or processes that seem to go on forever without reaching a conclusion.
చెవిటి పెద్దమ్మా చేంత్రాడు తేవే అంటే, చెవుల పోగులు నా జన్మానా యెరగ నన్నదట.
cheviti peddamma chentradu teve ante, chevula pogulu na janmana yeraga nannadata.
When a deaf old lady was asked to bring the well-rope, she replied that she had never known or seen earrings in her life.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone gives a completely irrelevant answer because they didn't understand the question, or when there is a significant communication gap. It highlights the absurdity of 'talking at cross-purposes' where one person's request has nothing to do with the other person's response.
తల్లి చెవులు తెంచిన వాడికి ముత్తవతల్లి చెవులు వెంట్రుక మాత్రము
talli chevulu tenchina vadiki muttavatalli chevulu ventruka matramu
The man who tears [the ornaments out of] his mother's ears, will not care a rush for the ears of his great-grand- mother.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is so hardened or wicked that they have already committed a grave sin or major crime, making a smaller offense seem insignificant to them. It implies that once someone has crossed a major moral boundary (like harming their own mother), they will not hesitate to commit further, even smaller, wrongs against others.
మనమెరగని చెవులకు మద్ది కాయలా?
manameragani chevulaku maddi kayala?
[ Are we to put ] ear ornaments on ears that we have never heard of? Said of persons whose pretensions to learning are not acknowledged.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is overly concerned or making unnecessary efforts for people they don't know or things that don't belong to them. It highlights the irony of trying to beautify or help something unfamiliar while neglecting what is close at hand.
చెవిటి చెన్నప్పా అంటే, సెనగల మల్లప్పా అన్నాడట
cheviti chennappa ante, senagala mallappa annadata
When asked 'Deaf Chennappa?', he replied 'Chickpea Mallappa'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is a total lack of communication or understanding between two people. It refers to a conversation where one person's words are completely misinterpreted by another, often leading to an irrelevant or absurd response, similar to 'talking at cross-purposes'.
చెవిటి వాడి చెవీలో శంఖం ఊదినట్లు.
cheviti vadi chevilo shankham udinatlu.
Like blowing a conch in the ears of the deaf.
It refers to making a complaint to someone, who does not even pay attention to the complaint – much less, act on it; it does not serve any purpose.
చెవిటి చెన్నారమా అంటే చెనిగలు పదకొండు అందిట
cheviti chennarama ante chenigalu padakondu andita
When asked 'Deaf Chennamma?', she replied 'Eleven chickpeas'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is a complete lack of communication or relevance between a question and an answer. It refers to someone who either misunderstands due to being hard of hearing or simply gives a totally unrelated response to what was asked.