ఏ గాలి ముండకు డబ్బున్నర క్షవరం.
e gali mundaku dabbunnara kshavaram.
A rupee and a half for the haircut of a wandering widow.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the cost or effort involved in a task far exceeds the value or worth of the subject itself. It highlights unnecessary extravagance or disproportionate spending on someone or something that doesn't deserve it or won't benefit from it meaningfully.
Related Phrases
దబ్బులేనివాడు డబ్బుకు కొరగాడు
dabbulenivadu dabbuku koragadu
A person without courage is of no use even with money.
This proverb highlights that courage and self-confidence are more valuable than material wealth. It is used to describe a situation where a person, despite having financial resources, cannot achieve anything or defend themselves because they lack the necessary boldness or character.
వాస్తుగలవారి కోడలు వరహా ఇచ్చి క్షవరం చేయించుకున్నదట.
vastugalavari kodalu varaha ichchi kshavaram cheyinchukunnadata.
The daughter-in-law of a wealthy person supposedly paid a gold coin for a haircut.
This proverb is used to describe people who waste money extravagantly just to show off their status or wealth, often paying far more than what a service or item is actually worth. It highlights vanity and the lack of financial prudence in those trying to maintain a high social image.
ఉలవకాని పొలం ఊసర క్షేత్రం
ulavakani polam usara kshetram
A field that cannot grow horse gram is a barren land.
Horse gram is known for its ability to grow even in poor, dry, and low-fertility soils. This proverb implies that if a land is so infertile that it cannot even support the growth of horse gram, it is completely useless or barren. It is used to describe something or someone that lacks even the most basic potential or capability.
శత కోటి దరిద్రాలకు అనంతకోటి ఉపాయాలు
shata koti daridralaku anantakoti upayalu
[One who can tell] a hundred lies, [one who can tell] a thousand lies. Ten times as bad.
This proverb is used to convey that no matter how many difficulties or challenges (poverty/troubles) one faces, there are always ways to overcome them. It emphasizes human ingenuity and the availability of endless solutions to any number of problems. It is often used to encourage creative problem-solving in desperate situations.
డబ్బుంటే ఢిల్లీ భోగాలు, డబ్బు లేకుంటే ఎలవడాలు.
dabbunte dhilli bhogalu, dabbu lekunte elavadalu.
If you have money, you enjoy Delhi-like luxuries; if you don't have money, you face hardships/destitution.
This expression highlights the power of wealth in determining social status and comfort. It contrasts the extreme luxury one can enjoy with money against the struggle and lack of basic respect one faces in poverty.
దమ్మిడీ ముండకు ఏగాని క్షవరం
dammidi mundaku egani kshavaram
A half-cent widow gets a one-cent haircut.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the cost of a service or a solution far exceeds the value of the object or person being attended to. It highlights extravagance, poor financial planning, or a mismatch between the value of a thing and the expenses incurred upon it.
కొండ మంగలి క్షవరం
konda mangali kshavaram
A mountain barber's haircut
This expression is used to describe a job that is done extremely poorly, inconsistently, or left half-finished. Just as a barber on a mountain might do a rough and uneven job due to lack of proper tools or skill, it refers to any work that is messy and unprofessional.
పాతముండ కలవరిస్తే కొత్తముండకు దయ్యం పట్టినట్లు
patamunda kalavariste kottamundaku dayyam pattinatlu
When the old widow babbles in her sleep, it is as if the new widow is possessed by a ghost.
This proverb describes a situation where an experienced person says something casually or out of habit, but an inexperienced or fearful person takes it too seriously and reacts with unnecessary panic. It highlights how fear and lack of experience can lead one to misinterpret a trivial situation as a major crisis.
వాస్తుగలవారి కోడలు వరహా ఇచ్చి క్షవరం చేయించుకుందట.
vastugalavari kodalu varaha ichchi kshavaram cheyinchukundata.
The daughter-in-law of a wealthy/fortunate family supposedly paid a gold coin for a haircut.
This proverb is used to mock people who waste money extravagantly on cheap or simple tasks just to show off their status or wealth. It refers to unnecessary vanity and the lack of financial sense in those who possess inherited fortune.
యజ్ఞానికి ముందేమిటంటే, తలక్షవరం అన్నట్లు.
yajnyaniki mundemitante, talakshavaram annatlu.
Like saying a head shave comes before the sacrificial ritual.
This proverb describes a situation where a minor, trivial, or sometimes unpleasant task is prioritized or highlighted over the grander, more significant event. It is used to mock someone who focuses on the trivialities or the preliminary hardships rather than the actual importance of a major undertaking.