ఎవరు ఏమి చేసినా, ఇంటికి ఆలు అవుతుందా, దొంతికి కడవ అవుతుందా?
evaru emi chesina, intiki alu avutunda, dontiki kadava avutunda?
Will any service rendered by another be as a wife to the house or a pot for the pile? Said by a man whose wife has died or gone astray. ఏ.
This proverb is used to say that outsiders or guests can never replace the core, essential members of a household or the fundamental components of a system. Just as a temporary visitor cannot take the place of a wife in managing a home, or a random vessel cannot replace the foundational pot (kadava) in a traditional stack (donti), some roles are unique and irreplaceable.
Related Phrases
ఇల్లు అలికితే పండగవుతుందా? తోరణం కడితే పెళ్ళవుతుందా?
illu alikite pandagavutunda? toranam kadite pellavutunda?
Does cleaning the house make it a festival? Does hanging a garland make it a wedding?
This expression is used to convey that superficial preparations or external appearances do not equate to the actual occurrence of a major event. It implies that just because you have started the basic groundwork, it doesn't mean the grand result is guaranteed or complete. It is often used to caution someone against premature celebration or oversimplification of a complex task.
వాడి మాట పిండికీ అవుతుంది, పిడుక్కూ అవుతుంది
vadi mata pindiki avutundi, pidukku avutundi
His speech will answer for flour or for a thunderbolt. Said of an ambiguous speech.
This expression is used to describe a person who speaks with clever ambiguity or doublespeak. Their words are crafted in such a way that they can be interpreted in two completely different ways depending on the outcome, allowing them to claim they were right regardless of what happens.
ఎవరు ఏమి చేసినా ఇంటికి ఆలి అవుతుందా, దొంతికి కడవ అవుతుందా?
evaru emi chesina intiki ali avutunda, dontiki kadava avutunda?
No matter what anyone does, can she become a wife to the house or can it become a pot for the stack?
This proverb is used to highlight that certain natural roles or essential positions cannot be replaced or replicated by others, no matter how hard they try. Just as a specific pot is needed to fit a stack (donti) or a specific person fulfills the role of a wife (aalii) in a household, some things are irreplaceable and unique to their purpose.
గోరంత అంత కండి కొండవుతుంది
goranta anta kandi kondavutundi
A small grain becomes a mountain
This expression is used to describe a situation that starts as a minor issue but escalates into a major problem, or when someone exaggerates a tiny matter into something significant. It is similar to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.
అంటే ఆరడి అవుతుంది, అనకుంటే అలుసవుతుంది.
ante aradi avutundi, anakunte alusavutundi.
If spoken, it becomes a scandal; if not spoken, it becomes a source of contempt.
This proverb describes a 'catch-22' or a dilemma where a person is stuck between two bad options. It is used when pointing out a mistake might lead to public embarrassment or unwanted drama (aaradi), but staying silent might lead others to take one's patience for granted or treat them with disrespect (alusu).
కల నిజమవుతుందా? కాకి కోకిలవుతుందా!
kala nijamavutunda? kaki kokilavutunda!
Will a dream come true? Can a crow become a cuckoo!
This expression is used to convey extreme skepticism or to dismiss an idea as impossible. It suggests that just as a crow can never transform into a melodious cuckoo, certain unrealistic dreams or expectations will never manifest into reality. It is often used to ground someone who is being overly idealistic or delusional.
కాని కాలానికి కర్రే పాము అవుతుంది
kani kalaniki karre pamu avutundi
In your evil hour your own stick will become a snake. i. e. your own friends will turn against you.
This proverb signifies that when luck is against someone or when times are unfavorable, even the most harmless or helpful things can turn into sources of trouble. It is used to describe a period of misfortune where everything seems to go wrong unexpectedly.
ఇంటికి ఇల్లాలు కాదు, దొంతికి కుండ కాదు
intiki illalu kadu, dontiki kunda kadu
Neither a housewife for the home, nor a pot for the stack.
This expression is used to describe someone or something that is completely useless or fails to serve any intended purpose. Just as a woman who doesn't care for the home isn't a true housewife, and a broken or ill-fitting pot cannot be part of a stack (donthi), a person who lacks utility in their designated role is described this way.
గూనువీపు కుదురు అవుతుందా?
gunuvipu kuduru avutunda?
Can a hunchback ever become a steady base?
This expression is used to suggest that some things are fundamentally flawed or permanently out of shape and cannot be used for a purpose that requires perfection. It is often applied to people's character or deep-seated habits, implying that a person's basic nature or a significant defect cannot be easily changed or rectified to suit a specific need.
ఉల్లి మల్లి అవుతుందా, ఉంచుకున్నది పెళ్ళాం అవుతుందా?
ulli malli avutunda, unchukunnadi pellam avutunda?
Will an onion ever become a jasmine flower? Will a mistress ever become a wife?
This is a traditional Telugu proverb used to express the idea that things have an inherent nature or status that cannot be changed. It suggests that a substitute or an informal arrangement can never truly replace or equate to the original, formal, or sanctified version of something. It is often used to emphasize that some boundaries or social roles are permanent.