గవ్వన్నరకు గడ్డం గొరుగుతానంటే, వెంట్రుకన్నరకు ఎంత అన్నాడట?
gavvannaraku gaddam gorugutanante, ventrukannaraku enta annadata?
When told a beard would be shaved for one and a half cowrie shells, he asked how much it would cost for one and a half hairs.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely stingy or excessively calculative over trivial matters. It mocks someone who tries to negotiate or find a bargain even when the price is already negligibly low, often missing the bigger picture due to their pettiness.
Related Phrases
వెన్నలో వెంట్రుక తీసినట్టు
vennalo ventruka tisinattu
Like pulling a hair out of butter
This expression is used to describe a task or process that is performed with extreme ease, smoothness, or without any resistance. It is often used when someone handles a difficult situation effortlessly or when a resolution is reached very cleanly.
నీకు మూతికి మీసాలుంటే నాకు ముంజేతికి వెంట్రుకలున్నవన్నదట
niku mutiki misalunte naku munjetiki ventrukalunnavannadata
If you have a mustache on your face, I have hair on my forearm, she said.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to assert superiority or dominance, and the other person responds with an equally boastful or defiant retort. It signifies that one person is not inferior to the other and can match their ego or status with their own. It is often used to highlight stubbornness or a tit-for-tat attitude in an argument.
వీసానికి వీసన్నర అయితే, దూలన్నర ఎంత?
visaniki visannara ayite, dulannara enta?
If a rafter and half goes for a Visam, how much for a beam and a half? Chaffing an arithmetician.
This proverb is used to mock someone who is bad at basic arithmetic or logic. It illustrates a situation where a simple calculation is over-complicated or where the math is nonsensical, highlighting the absurdity of the person's reasoning or the disproportionate nature of a deal.
వెంట్రుక పట్టుకొని ప్రాకులాడినట్లు
ventruka pattukoni prakuladinatlu
Like trying to climb up by holding onto a hair.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is making a desperate or futile effort to save themselves or achieve something using a very weak and unreliable support. It highlights the impossibility and precariousness of an action.
వీసానికి వాసిన్నర అయితే, దూలన్నర ఎంత?
visaniki vasinnara ayite, dulannara enta?
If a 'veesam' costs one-and-a-half 'vaasi', how much is a 'doolannara'?
This is a sarcastic expression used to dismiss someone who is talking nonsense or using complex, made-up calculations to confuse others. It is a retort to illogical arguments or meaningless statistics, essentially asking 'If your premise is nonsense, what is the value of this other nonsense?'
వెన్నలో వెంట్రుక తీసినట్టు
vennalo ventruka tisinattu
Like taking a hair out of butter.
This expression is used to describe a task that is performed with extreme ease, smoothness, and without any resistance or obstacles. It can also refer to resolving a delicate situation very tactfully and cleanly.
Said of a very easy business. How easily a hair gets into butter ! (Gorman.)*
వెన్నలో వెంట్రుక తీసినట్లు
vennalo ventruka tisinatlu
Like removing a hair from butter
This expression is used to describe a task performed with extreme ease, smoothness, and without causing any disturbance or damage. It signifies a delicate operation executed so perfectly that the surroundings remain unaffected, often used to describe resolving a complex issue effortlessly.
గొంగట్లో అన్నం తింటూ వెంట్రుకలు ఏరుకున్నట్లు
gongatlo annam tintu ventrukalu erukunnatlu
Like picking out hairs while eating rice sitting on a woollen blanket.
This expression describes a situation where someone knowingly enters a difficult or messy environment and then complains about the inevitable problems that come with it. It is used to point out the hypocrisy or futility of worrying about minor inconveniences when you have chosen a path where those problems are unavoidable.
గొంగట్లో అన్నం తింటూ వెంట్రుకలు ఏరినట్లు
gongatlo annam tintu ventrukalu erinatlu
Eating rice while sitting on a woolen blanket and picking out hairs.
This expression is used to describe a person who knowingly enters a difficult or messy situation and then complains about the obvious, inevitable problems that come with it. It suggests that one should expect certain inconveniences when choosing a specific path or environment.
కొండకు ఒక వెంట్రుక ముడి వేస్తే, వస్తే కొండే వస్తుంది, పోతే వెంట్రుకే పోతుంది.
kondaku oka ventruka mudi veste, vaste konde vastundi, pote ventruke potundi.
If you tie a hair to a mountain, the mountain will come or the hair only go. The possibility of great gain with the risk of little loss.
This expression is used to describe a high-reward, low-risk situation. It encourages taking a chance where the potential gain is massive and the potential loss is negligible or insignificant.