ఎగిరిన దూది గాలిలో ఎంతసేపో ఉండదు.
egirina dudi galilo entasepo undadu.
Cotton that has flown up will not stay in the air for long.
This proverb is used to describe a person who experiences sudden, temporary success or fame. It implies that just as light cotton eventually falls back to the ground, a person without a solid foundation or merit cannot maintain their elevated status for long.
Related Phrases
మనసులో ఎంత ఉంటే, సోదెలో అంతే వస్తుంది
manasulo enta unte, sodelo ante vastundi
Whatever is in the mind, is what comes out in the fortune-telling.
This proverb suggests that a person's inner thoughts, preoccupations, or biases often manifest in the results or predictions they receive, or that one's own mindset influences how they perceive external information. It is used to imply that what we experience is often a reflection of our own internal state or that people hear what they want to hear based on their existing thoughts.
ఆలుమగల కలహం, ఆరికకూడు వండినంతసేపే.
alumagala kalaham, arikakudu vandinantasepe.
A dispute between a husband and wife lasts only as long as it takes to cook millet.
This proverb highlights the temporary and fleeting nature of domestic quarrels between a married couple. Kodo millet (arika) cooks very quickly; similarly, the disagreement between a couple is expected to resolve by the time their next meal is prepared, suggesting that they shouldn't hold grudges.
దూడ మేసి గంటసేపైనా దురిసెండ్ల నడత మాత్రం పోలేదు.
duda mesi gantasepaina durisendla nadata matram poledu.
Even if an hour has passed since the calf finished grazing, its restless running behavior hasn't stopped.
This proverb is used to describe someone who continues to exhibit old habits or restless behavior even after the situation that caused them has changed. It highlights that ingrained nature or temperament does not disappear quickly even when the necessity for it is over.
కుక్క బుద్ధి దాలికుంటలో ఉన్నంతసేపే
kukka buddhi dalikuntalo unnantasepe
A dog's behavior remains calm only as long as it is in the fireplace ash pit.
This proverb is used to describe a person whose nature or bad habits are only temporarily suppressed due to their current circumstances or surroundings. Just as a dog stays quiet and still while enjoying the warmth of the warm ashes in a fireplace (dalikunta) but returns to its restless or barking nature the moment it leaves, some people only behave well when it is convenient or comfortable for them.
కలిమి ఉన్నంతసేపే బలగం, కండ ఉన్నంతసేపే మిండడు
kalimi unnantasepe balagam, kanda unnantasepe mindadu
Relatives stay as long as there is wealth, a lover stays as long as there is physical strength.
This proverb highlights the transient and opportunistic nature of human relationships. It suggests that most people surround you only for their own benefit; relatives and friends stick around for your money, while romantic interests may stay only for physical vitality or prowess. Once these assets are gone, the people often disappear.
గాలిలో మాట రాశాడు, నీటిలో మూట కట్టాడు
galilo mata rashadu, nitilo muta kattadu
He wrote words in the air and tied a bundle in the water
This expression refers to someone who makes impossible or empty promises that have no substance or reality. It describes actions that are futile, unreliable, or purely imaginary, much like the impossibility of writing on air or securing a bundle under water.
హిమగిరిలో ఉంటే నంది, గంగారంలో ఉంటే గంగిరెద్దు
himagirilo unte nandi, gangaramlo unte gangireddu
If in Himagiri (the Himalayas), it is Nandi; if in Gangaram (a common village), it is a Gangireddu (a street bull).
This proverb describes how the value and respect an individual receives depend heavily on their environment, position, and the company they keep. Even a divine bull like Nandi is seen as a common street bull when removed from its sacred context. It is used to emphasize that status is often a reflection of one's surroundings.
పంట పెంటలో ఉన్నది, పాడి పూరిలో ఉన్నది
panta pentalo unnadi, padi purilo unnadi
The crop is in the manure, and the dairy is in the grass.
This proverb emphasizes the fundamental secrets of agriculture and animal husbandry. It means that a good harvest depends on the quality of fertilizer (manure), and good milk production depends on providing quality fodder (grass) to the livestock. It highlights that inputs determine the quality of outputs.
ఎదుట లేకుంటే, ఎదలో ఉండదు.
eduta lekunte, edalo undadu.
If it is not in front of you, it will not be in the heart.
This is the Telugu equivalent of the English proverb 'Out of sight, out of mind'. It suggests that people tend to forget things or people when they are no longer physically present or visible to them.
కలిమి ఉన్నంతసేపు బలగము, కండ ఉన్నంతసేపు మిండడు
kalimi unnantasepu balagamu, kanda unnantasepu mindadu
As long as there is wealth, there are followers; as long as there is physical strength, there is a lover.
This proverb highlights the transient and opportunistic nature of human relationships. It suggests that people often stay around others only for selfish reasons—either for money or physical attraction—and may desert them once those assets are gone. It is used to describe fair-weather friends or superficial bonds.