ఎద్దులు కాసినందుకు ముద్దలు మింగినందుకు సరిపోయింది పో అన్నాడట
eddulu kasinanduku muddalu minginanduku saripoyindi po annadata
He said it's a fair trade: for the time spent grazing the bulls, he got to swallow the food morsels.
This expression describes a situation where the effort put into a task is exactly equal to or barely covered by the meager reward received, resulting in no real gain or profit. It is used when someone works hard just to meet basic sustenance or when a transaction results in a zero-sum outcome with no benefit for the labor involved.
Related Phrases
మొగుడు కొట్టినందుకు కాదు తోడికోడలు నవ్వినందుకు ఏడ్చిందట.
mogudu kottinanduku kadu todikodalu navvinanduku edchindata.
She didn't cry because her husband hit her, but because her sister-in-law laughed at it.
This proverb describes a situation where the humiliation or mockery from peers is more painful than the actual suffering or punishment itself. It is used when someone is more bothered by public embarrassment or the reactions of others than by the core problem they are facing.
తెల్లవారి లేచినందుకు దోవ తప్పినందుకూ సరి.
tellavari lechinanduku dova tappinanduku sari.
Waking up early and losing the way offset each other.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the effort put into a task is rendered useless by a subsequent mistake or hurdle. It highlights that the benefit gained from starting early or working hard was nullified because the person ended up going in the wrong direction or making a fundamental error, resulting in no net progress.
గొట్టిలు కాచినందుకు, లొడుగు తాగినందుకు సరి.
gottilu kachinanduku, lodugu taginanduku sari.
Boiling the nuts is equal to drinking the residue.
This proverb describes a situation where the effort put into a task is completely negated by the poor quality of the result, or where one trouble cancels out another with no net gain. It is used when a difficult process yields a disappointing or insignificant outcome, effectively meaning 'it was all for nothing' or 'the effort and the result are equally bad'.
పొద్దున లేచినందుకు, బాట తప్పినందుకు సరిపోయింది
podduna lechinanduku, bata tappinanduku saripoyindi
Waking up early and losing the way balanced each other out.
This expression is used when the extra effort or advantage gained at the start of a task is completely negated by a subsequent mistake or misfortune. It implies that despite a good start, one is back to square one due to poor execution or bad luck.
నందుకు ఏడుస్తున్నాను అన్నదట.
nanduku edustunnanu annadata.
She said she was crying for 'Nandu'.
This phrase is used to describe a situation where someone is pretending to be sad or upset for a noble reason, while their true motive is hidden or entirely different. It highlights hypocrisy or deceptive behavior.
ఏనుగు మింగిన వెలగ పండు
enugu mingina velaga pandu
A wood apple swallowed by an elephant
This expression is used to describe something that appears intact on the outside but is completely hollow or empty on the inside. It originates from the folk belief that when an elephant swallows a wood apple, the fruit remains whole through the digestive process, but the pulp inside disappears mysteriously. It is often used to refer to sudden losses, empty promises, or wealth that vanishes without a trace.
మావాళ్ళు వద్దన్నందుకు, మంగళగిరి తిరునాళ్ళకు వెళ్ళినందుకు నాపని ఇలాగే కావాలి అన్నదట.
mavallu vaddannanduku, mangalagiri tirunallaku vellinanduku napani ilage kavali annadata.
Since my people said no and I still went to the Mangalagiri festival, I deserve exactly this.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone experiences a predictable misfortune or failure after deliberately ignoring the sound advice of well-wishers. It emphasizes self-inflicted consequences and the irony of regret after being warned. It is often used to express self-reproach or to point out someone's stubbornness.
సంతలో కొట్టినందుకు సాక్షులెవరు?
santalo kottinanduku sakshulevaru?
Who are witnesses to the [ blow ] struck in the fair ? In a crowd, no one can tell by whom a blow was struck.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where an event happens in such a chaotic or crowded environment that it is impossible to pinpoint the culprit or find reliable witnesses. It suggests that in the middle of a massive commotion, individual actions often go unnoticed or unproven.
మొగుడు కొట్టినందుకు కాదుగాని, తోడికోడలు నవ్వినందుకు.
mogudu kottinanduku kadugani, todikodalu navvinanduku.
It is not because the husband beat me, but because the sister-in-law laughed at me.
This proverb describes a situation where the actual pain or loss caused by a primary event is less hurtful than the humiliation or mockery faced from peers or rivals during that event. It is used to highlight how social embarrassment or the gloating of others often stings more than the misfortune itself.
వేసిన వత్తికి, పోసిన చమురుకు సరిపోయింది.
vesina vattiki, posina chamuruku saripoyindi.
It matched the wick placed and the oil poured.
This expression is used to describe a situation where the effort or resources invested are exactly equal to the result obtained, leaving no profit or extra benefit. It refers to a 'break-even' scenario where one's hard work only just covers the basic costs, often used when someone feels their efforts were barely worth the outcome.