ఎద్దు ఎండకు లాగ, దున్నపోతు నీడకు లాగ.
eddu endaku laga, dunnapotu nidaku laga.
The bullock pulled towards the sun, and the buffalo towards the shade. A bad match. Every couple is not a pair.
This proverb describes a situation where two people are working together but have completely opposite goals, temperaments, or directions. It is used to highlight a lack of cooperation or synchronization, making it impossible to complete a task effectively because the parties involved are pulling in different ways.
Related Phrases
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.
రాముడు లేని రాజ్యం లాగ
ramudu leni rajyam laga
Like a kingdom without Rama.
This expression describes a place or situation that lacks its true leader, soul, or essential guiding force. Just as the kingdom of Ayodhya felt desolate and directionless when Lord Rama was in exile, this phrase is used to describe a scene of emptiness, chaos, or lack of joy despite having all other material resources.
దున్నపోతు ఈనిందంటే, దూడను కట్టేయమన్నట్లు
dunnapotu inindante, dudanu katteyamannatlu
When one said "The male buffalo has calved" the other replied "Then tie up the calf."
This proverb describes a situation where people blindly follow or react to a piece of information that is logically impossible or blatantly false. It mocks those who act without thinking or questioning the absurdity of a statement, highlighting gullibility and the lack of common sense.
తెగిన గాలిపటం లాగా
tegina galipatam laga
Like a severed kite
This expression is used to describe a person who is aimless, out of control, or drifting without any direction or support system. Just as a kite with a snapped string floats away helplessly wherever the wind takes it, it signifies a state of being lost or having no one to guide or anchor them.
చెరువు చూచి, దున్నపోతు ఆ నీళ్ళన్నీ తానే తాగాలనుకొని గుండె పగిలి చచ్చిందట.
cheruvu chuchi, dunnapotu a nillanni tane tagalanukoni gunde pagili chachchindata.
Seeing the lake, the buffalo wanted to drink all the water itself and died of a broken heart (or burst chest).
This proverb is used to describe greed and over-ambition. It warns that trying to consume or possess more than one's capacity or trying to take everything for oneself leads to self-destruction. It is often applied to people who are overly greedy and fail to recognize their own limits.
చెవి కోసిన మేక లాగా
chevi kosina meka laga
Like a goat with its ear cut off
Used to describe someone who is screaming or crying uncontrollably and incessantly. It refers to the loud, agonizing bleating a goat makes when its ear is notched or cut, typically for identification purposes.
మంచి దున్నపోతయినా మందకొడి ఎద్దుకు సరికాదు
manchi dunnapotayina mandakodi edduku sarikadu
Even a good male buffalo is not equal to a slow ox
This proverb highlights that certain roles are best suited for specific individuals or tools based on their inherent nature. In agricultural contexts, oxen are preferred for plowing over buffaloes due to their temperament and endurance. It implies that a mediocre version of the right fit is often better than a superior version of the wrong fit.
దున్నపోతు లాగున్నావు తేలుమంత్రం తెలియదా? అన్నాడట.
dunnapotu lagunnavu telumantram teliyada? annadata.
He said, 'You look as big as a buffalo, yet you don't know the scorpion charm?'
This is a sarcastic expression used to mock someone who possesses great physical size or strength but lacks basic common sense or a specific simple skill. It highlights the irony of having a large stature without the expected mental capability or practical knowledge to handle a small problem.
కోటికి లాగితే బిళ్ళకు, బిళ్ళకు లాగితే కోటికి
kotiki lagite billaku, billaku lagite kotiki
If pulled for the crore, it reaches the coin; if pulled for the coin, it reaches the crore.
This proverb describes a state of extreme financial instability or a 'hand-to-mouth' existence. It implies that a person is constantly struggling to balance their resources—when they try to save a large sum (crore), they end up needing it for basic small expenses (coin), and when they focus on small expenses, they are unable to reach their larger financial goals.
వంట ఇంటి కుందేలు
vanta inti kundelu
A rabbit in the kitchen
This expression describes someone who never leaves their home or is extremely timid and stays within a confined, safe environment. It is used to mock someone's lack of worldly exposure or their tendency to always stay indoors, much like a pet rabbit that stays around the kitchen for food.