ఏమి చేస్తున్నావురా అంటే ఒలకబోసి ఎత్తుకుంటున్నాను అన్నట్లు
emi chestunnavura ante olakabosi ettukuntunnanu annatlu
When asked 'What are you doing?', he replied, 'I am spilling it and then picking it up'.
This proverb is used to describe someone who engages in useless, counterproductive, or repetitive work that yields no results. It highlights the behavior of creating a problem just to solve it, or performing tasks that are essentially a waste of time and effort.
Related Phrases
పనిలేని పాపరాజు ఏమి చేస్తున్నాడంటే, కుందేటి కొమ్ముకు రేఖలు తీరుస్తున్నాడు అన్నాడట
panileni paparaju emi chestunnadante, kundeti kommuku rekhalu tirustunnadu annadata
When they asked what idle Pâpa Râzu was about, they were told that he was carving lines on a hare's horn.
This expression is used to describe a person who is engaged in completely useless, absurd, or impossible tasks because they have nothing productive to do. Since rabbits do not have horns, 'drawing lines on a rabbit's horn' signifies wasting time on non-existent or futile activities.
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.
కురూపి ఏమి చేస్తున్నావంటే, సురూపాలను వెక్కిరిస్తున్నాను అన్నట్టు
kurupi emi chestunnavante, surupalanu vekkiristunnanu annattu
When an ugly person was asked what they were doing, they said, 'I am mocking the beautiful ones.'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person who lacks talent, skill, or merit criticizes or mocks those who are superior or successful. It highlights the irony of someone with significant flaws trying to find faults in others who are far better than themselves, often out of jealousy or insecurity.
వడ్లవాండ్ల పిల్లేమి జేస్తున్నదంటే, వలకబోసి ఎత్తుకుంటుందన్నాడట
vadlavandla pillemi jestunnadante, valakabosi ettukuntundannadata
When asked what the carpenter's daughter was doing, he said she was spilling things only to pick them up again.
This proverb describes a person who engages in redundant, unproductive, or repetitive work that yields no actual progress. It is used to mock someone who keeps themselves busy with meaningless tasks or creates their own problems just to solve them, essentially wasting time and energy without any real result.
నాయనమ్మ ఏం చేస్తోంది అంటే ఒలకబోసి ఎత్తుకుంటోంది అన్నట్లు
nayanamma em chestondi ante olakabosi ettukuntondi annatlu
When asked what grandma is doing, it's like saying she is spilling things and then picking them up.
This proverb is used to describe someone who engages in futile, unproductive, or repetitive work that yields no actual result. It refers to a situation where a person stays busy by creating their own problems just to solve them, essentially wasting time and effort without any progress.
ఏమండీ కరణంగారూ గోతిలో పడ్డారే అంటే.. కాదు, మషాకత్తు చేస్తున్నాను అన్నట్లు
emandi karanangaru gotilo paddare ante.. kadu, mashakattu chestunnanu annatlu
When asked 'Sir Karanangaru, you fell into a pit!', he replied 'No, I am just practicing gymnastics.'
This proverb describes a person who refuses to admit their mistakes or misfortune even when it is obvious. Instead of accepting the truth, they invent a prideful excuse to save face. It is used to mock people who try to cover up their failures with silly or boastful explanations.
పనిలేని పాపరాజు ఏం చేస్తున్నాడంటే, కుందేటికొమ్ముకు రేకలు తీస్తున్నాడు అన్నట్లు.
panileni paparaju em chestunnadante, kundetikommuku rekalu tistunnadu annatlu.
When asked what idle Paparaju is doing, he is carving designs on a rabbit's horn.
This proverb is used to describe a person who, having no useful work to do, engages in completely futile, impossible, or nonsensical tasks. Since rabbits do not have horns, 'carving designs on a rabbit's horn' signifies wasting time on something that doesn't exist or doesn't matter.
ఉపాధ్యాయులు ఏమి చేస్తున్నాడంటే, అబద్ధాలు వ్రాసి దిద్దుకుంటున్నాడు అన్నాడట.
upadhyayulu emi chestunnadante, abaddhalu vrasi diddukuntunnadu annadata.
When asked what the school master was doing, one replied " he is correcting the mistakes he has made." A bad workman.
This proverb is used to mock someone who engages in futile, self-created work just to appear busy or productive. It describes a situation where a person creates their own problems or errors only to spend time fixing them, resulting in no actual progress or value. It is often applied to bureaucrats or professionals who indulge in unnecessary paperwork or circular logic.
ఉపాధ్యాయుల వారు ఏం చేస్తున్నారు అంటే రాసిన తప్పులు దిద్దుకుంటున్నారట
upadhyayula varu em chestunnaru ante rasina tappulu diddukuntunnarata
When asked what the teacher is doing, they said he is correcting the mistakes he wrote himself.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who is supposed to be an expert or a guide makes basic mistakes and spends their time fixing their own errors instead of helping others. It satirizes incompetence in positions of authority or expertise.
కురూపి ఏమి చేస్తున్నాడంటే, సురూపాలన్నీ లెక్కపెడుతున్నాడు.
kurupi emi chestunnadante, surupalanni lekkapedutunnadu.
When one enquired what the ugly man was doing, [he was told that] he was counting all the good looking people. An ugly person finds fault with the looks of others. The kiln calls the oven burnt house. The shovel makes game of the poker. (French.)† The pan says to the pot " keep off or you'll smutch me." (Italian.)
This proverb is used to describe someone who, instead of focusing on their own shortcomings or fixing their own problems, spends all their time judging, critiquing, or obsessing over the qualities and successes of others. It highlights the irony of being preoccupied with things one lacks.
* Adonde vas, mal ? Adonde mas hay. † La pèle se moque du fourgon. ‡ La padella dice al pajuolo, Fatti in la che tu me tigni,