ఎద్దుకు గడ్డి, పీతకు బుద్ధి
edduku gaddi, pitaku buddhi
The porcupine has sense in the back of its head. Said of a man without brains.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone behaves perversely or acts contrary to logic and common sense. It highlights a mismatch in expectations or a stubborn, backward way of thinking, much like how a crab moves sideways instead of straight.
Related Phrases
దొంగకు దొంగ బుద్ధి, దొరకు దొర బుద్ధి.
dongaku donga buddhi, doraku dora buddhi.
A thief has a thief's thoughts, a gentleman has a gentleman's thoughts.
This proverb means that a person's behavior and thinking are dictated by their character and inherent nature. A person with bad intentions will always act according to their devious nature, while a person of noble character will act with dignity and honor, regardless of the situation.
మొగబుద్ధి మోటుబుద్ది, ఆడుబుద్ది అపరబుద్ధి.
mogabuddhi motubuddi, adubuddi aparabuddhi.
A man's mind is a blunt mind, a woman's mind is a subtle/sharp mind.
This proverb contrasts the psychological natures of men and women. It suggests that men tend to be more straightforward, rough, or simple-minded (motu), whereas women possess a more complex, strategic, or far-reaching intelligence (apara buddhi). It is often used to comment on how women can see through situations or plan more effectively than men.
పడతులకు బుద్ధి పెడతల నుండు
padatulaku buddhi pedatala nundu
Women's wisdom resides at the back of their heads
This is a traditional Telugu proverb often used to remark that women tend to realize the consequences of an action after it has happened rather than beforehand. In modern contexts, it is sometimes viewed as a stereotypical or sexist remark about feminine foresight, but it remains a common idiomatic expression to describe hindsight.
జాతి బుద్ధి జాతిది - కులం బుద్ధి కులానిది
jati buddhi jatidi - kulam buddhi kulanidi
Species trait stays with the species - Clan trait stays with the clan
This expression suggests that inherent characteristics or basic instincts associated with one's origin, upbringing, or lineage are difficult to change. It is often used to point out that a person's fundamental behavior inevitably reflects their roots or true nature, regardless of external changes.
ఉవిదల బుద్ధి పెడతల నుండుగాని
uvidala buddhi pedatala nundugani
Women's wisdom lies at the back of their heads.
This is a traditional Telugu proverb often used to suggest that women may lack foresight or make decisions based on immediate emotions rather than long-term logic. It reflects historical social biases and is typically used in a derogatory or condescending manner to imply that a woman's judgment is backward or arrives too late.
అత్త బుద్ధి, కోడలు బుద్ధి ఒకటవుతాయా?
atta buddhi, kodalu buddhi okatavutaya?
Will the mother-in-law's mindset and the daughter-in-law's mindset ever be the same?
This proverb highlights the inherent differences in perspectives, upbringing, and priorities between two people of different roles or generations. It is typically used to explain why conflicts or misunderstandings arise between people in a relationship, suggesting that their ways of thinking are naturally distinct and unlikely to perfectly align.
ఆడదాని బుద్ధి అపర బుద్ధి
adadani buddhi apara buddhi
A woman's sense is wrong sense.
This is a traditional Telugu proverb used to suggest that women think differently or more deeply than men, often implying that they come up with clever solutions later or have a unique perspective that isn't immediately obvious. While historically sometimes used dismissively, it is also used to acknowledge a woman's intuitive or strategic thinking.
Lit. in the back of the head.
కుక్క బుద్ధి దాలిగుంటకు తెలుసు
kukka buddhi daliguntaku telusu
The hearth knows the dog's mindset.
This proverb is used to describe a person who cannot break their habits or keeps returning to the same place or behavior due to their inherent nature. Just as a dog always seeks the warmth of the ash-pit (daaligunta) despite being shooed away, some people repeatedly succumb to their weaknesses or old patterns.
మొగబుద్ది మోటుబుద్ది, ఆడబుద్ది అవరబుద్ధి
mogabuddi motubuddi, adabuddi avarabuddhi
Man's intellect is crude, woman's intellect is subtle/deeper.
This proverb highlights a traditional observation about gendered thinking styles. It suggests that men tend to have a blunt or straightforward approach (motu), whereas women possess a more refined, intricate, or farsighted perspective (avara). It is used to contrast the simplicity of a man's logic with the complexity and depth of a woman's intuition.
మాటలకు పేదరికము లేదు
matalaku pedarikamu ledu
He is not wanting in words.
This proverb means that speaking or making promises costs nothing. It is used to describe situations where people talk big or offer hollow words because talking is free and requires no actual resources or effort.
He ruins himself in promises, and clears himself by giving nothing. ( French. )*