చీర పేలు ఏరివేయటం కన్నా బొంతను కాల్చివేయటం నిమ్మళం
chira pelu eriveyatam kanna bontanu kalchiveyatam nimmalam
Burning the quilt is more peaceful than picking lice out of a saree.
This proverb describes a situation where a task is so tedious, repetitive, or frustrating that one would rather destroy the object or start from scratch than continue fixing it bit by bit. It is used when a solution to a small but persistent problem is more exhausting than simply abandoning the whole effort.
Related Phrases
లంకను కాల్చినవాడు రాముడి లెంక
lankanu kalchinavadu ramudi lenka
The one who burnt Lanka is Rama's servant.
This expression refers to Hanuman, who burned the city of Lanka but remained humble as a servant of Lord Rama. It is used to describe a person who achieves a massive feat or performs an incredible task but remains modest and attributes the success to their mentor or leader.
చూచి రమ్మంటే, కాల్చి వచ్చినాడట
chuchi rammante, kalchi vachchinadata
When asked to go and see, he went and burnt it down.
This proverb is inspired by the character Hanuman from the Ramayana, who was sent to find Sita but ended up burning Lanka. It is used to describe a situation where someone performs a task far exceeding the original instructions, often in a bold, aggressive, or transformative way. It can be used both as praise for initiative or as a critique for overstepping bounds.
దున్నపోతు ఈనిందంటే, దూడను కట్టేయమన్నట్టు
dunnapotu inindante, dudanu katteyamannattu
When someone says the male buffalo has given birth, asking to tie up the calf.
This proverb describes a situation where someone blindly believes or acts upon a piece of information that is logically impossible or absurd. It is used to mock people who lack common sense or those who follow instructions without questioning their validity, even when the premise (a male buffalo giving birth) is clearly false.
ఎద్దు ఈనిందంటే గాట కట్టివేయమన్నట్లు
eddu inindante gata kattiveyamannatlu
When someone says the ox has given birth, asking to tie the calf to the stake.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone blindly follows or supports a baseless or illogical statement without thinking. Since oxen are male and cannot give birth, the response of 'tying the calf' shows a lack of common sense and a tendency to jump to conclusions based on hearsay.
గోరంతను కొండంత చేయటం
gorantanu kondanta cheyatam
Making a fingernail-sized thing into a mountain-sized one.
This expression is used to describe the act of exaggerating a small issue or a minor event into something much larger than it actually is. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'making a mountain out of a molehill'.
ఆడుదనం అంగడివేయదగునా
adudanam angadiveyadaguna
Should womanhood be put on display in the market?
This proverb suggests that personal matters, feminine modesty, or family dignity should not be publicized or treated as a commodity for public scrutiny. It is used to advise against exposing private affairs to the public gaze.
బిచ్చము వేయకున్నా మానెగాని, కుక్కను కట్టివేయమన్నట్లు
bichchamu veyakunna manegani, kukkanu kattiveyamannatlu
It's fine if you don't give alms, but please tie up the dog.
This proverb is used when someone, instead of helping, creates further obstacles or trouble. It describes a situation where a person seeking help is willing to forgo the assistance as long as the other person stops causing additional harm or annoyance.
చెప్పటం తేలిక, చేయటం కష్టం
cheppatam telika, cheyatam kashtam
Telling is easy, doing is difficult
This expression is the Telugu equivalent of 'Easier said than done'. It is used to point out that while it is easy to give advice or make promises, it is much harder to actually put those words into action or carry out the task.
చీరపేల బొంత ఎప్పుడైనా కాలవలసిందే
chirapela bonta eppudaina kalavalasinde
A quilt made of old saree scraps is destined to be burnt eventually.
This proverb suggests that things made of low-quality materials or temporary fixes have a limited lifespan and will inevitably wear out or be discarded. It is used to describe situations where someone relies on weak or outdated resources, implying that the outcome is predictable and unavoidable.
గంతకు తగిన బొంత
gantaku tagina bonta
Like packsaddle, like quilt.
This expression is used to describe two people or things that are a perfect match for each other, often in a sarcastic or negative sense (like two equally lazy or cunning people). It is the Telugu equivalent of the English phrase 'Like father, like son' or 'A chip off the old block', implying that the quality or nature of one thing matches the other perfectly.
Like pot, like cover. (Dutch.)*