చుట్టం మీద తీపా? బియ్యం మీద తీపా?

This expression is used to describe something that slides off or fails to stick, just as a smooth seed would bounce or slip off a glass surface. It is often used to characterize a person who is unaffected by advice, warnings, or criticism, or to describe a situation where efforts have no lasting impact.

This rhetorical question or proverb highlights the natural bias or difference in affection often found in families. It implies that a mother's innate love for her biological daughter is rarely matched by her feelings for her daughter-in-law. It is used to describe situations where there is perceived partiality or to acknowledge that certain bonds are naturally deeper than others.

This expression is used to mock someone who is being overly stingy or greedy even when faced with a life-threatening or serious situation. It highlights the absurdity of prioritizing small material gains or savings over one's own well-being or safety.

This expression is used to describe a situation where there is a complete lack of coordination or harmony. It refers to a disorganized state where different people are doing different things without any synchronization or common goal.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one person's anger or a problem originating elsewhere is unfairly diverted toward an innocent person or an unrelated object. It signifies misplaced venting of frustration or a situation where the consequences of one event unexpectedly affect something completely different.

This rhetorical question is used to emphasize that nothing is more precious than one's own life. It is often said when someone takes extreme measures or compromises to save themselves in a life-threatening situation, highlighting that self-preservation is the ultimate human instinct.

This proverb describes someone who is physically performing a task in one place (like working in a shop) but is mentally preoccupied or keeping a suspicious eye on someone else (the mother-in-law) to ensure they aren't being cheated or monitored. It is used to describe a person who lacks focus or is overly suspicious of others while working.

This expression describes a situation where someone takes out their frustration or anger on an innocent third party or an inanimate object because they cannot confront the person who actually caused the provocation. It is similar to the concept of 'displaced aggression'.

This expression is used to describe a person who has high desires or grand ambitions but lacks the basic resources or means to fulfill them. It highlights the gap between one's wants and their actual capabilities or reality.

This expression is used to describe a situation where both the problem and the frantic reaction to it are ultimately non-existent or unnecessary. It originates from an Advaita philosophy story where a teacher tells a student that the world is an illusion; when an elephant charges and the teacher runs away, he explains that if the elephant was an illusion, his running was also part of that same illusion. It is often used to point out contradictions in logic or to dismiss a false alarm.