ఇల్లరికం వద్దు కొడకా అంటే సన్యాసం ఉంటా అన్నట్టు
illarikam vaddu kodaka ante sanyasam unta annattu
When told not to live as a resident son-in-law, the son replied he would rather become an ascetic.
This proverb describes a person who chooses an even more undesirable or extreme alternative when advised against a difficult situation. It is used when someone reacts to a suggestion by proposing a solution that is worse or more radical than the original problem.
Related Phrases
ఇల్లరికం కన్నా మాలరికం మేలు
illarikam kanna malarikam melu
Working as a manual laborer is better than living as a resident son-in-law.
This proverb highlights the loss of self-respect and the social stigma traditionally associated with 'Illarikam' (the practice of a son-in-law living in his wife's parents' house). It suggests that even performing menial labor is more dignified than living on the mercy of in-laws, where one might be treated like a servant or face constant ridicule.
వంగతోటకాడ మాత్రం వదిన అని అనవద్దు అన్నట్లు.
vangatotakada matram vadina ani anavaddu annatlu.
Like saying, 'Only in the brinjal field, don't call me sister-in-law.'
This proverb describes a person's hypocritical or opportunistic behavior. It refers to a situation where someone wants to maintain a formal or distant relationship in public or during a specific task to avoid sharing benefits or to hide a relationship, while being friendly elsewhere. It is often used to mock someone who pretends not to know someone else when it is convenient for them.
సన్నసన్నంగా కాపుతనం వచ్చింది, సన్నబియ్యం వండవే అన్నాడట
sannasannanga kaputanam vachchindi, sannabiyyam vandave annadata
He said 'Domestic life has slowly settled in, now cook fine rice'.
This proverb is used to mock someone who expects luxury or high standards before they have truly established their foundations or stability. It describes a situation where someone demands rewards or comforts prematurely, often with very little effort or progress made.
వంగతోటకాడ మాత్రం వదినా అనవద్దు అన్నట్లు
vangatotakada matram vadina anavaddu annatlu
Just don't call me sister-in-law at the brinjal field.
This expression is used to describe hypocritical or opportunistic behavior where someone wants to maintain a formal or respectful relationship in public, but wants to ignore those boundaries or rules when there is a personal gain involved (like stealing brinjals from the field). It highlights the irony of someone setting convenient conditions for their morality.
ఆడలేక అంగణం వంకర అన్నట్లు
adaleka anganam vankara annatlu
Like saying the courtyard is crooked because one cannot dance.
This expression is used to describe a person who lacks skill or fails at a task, but blames external circumstances or their environment instead of admitting their own deficiency. It is the Telugu equivalent of the English proverb: 'A bad workman quarrels with his tools.'
ఇసుమంత చోటిస్తే ఇల్లంతా నాదే అన్నట్లు
isumanta chotiste illanta nade annatlu
Given a tiny bit of space, claiming the whole house as one's own.
This proverb is used to describe a person who takes undue advantage of someone's kindness or hospitality. It refers to a situation where a small favor is granted, but the recipient attempts to seize complete control or overstay their welcome, similar to the English idiom 'Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.'
అంగటివీథిలో అబ్బా అంటే, ఎవరికి పుట్టినావురా కొడకా అన్నట్టు.
angativithilo abba ante, evariki puttinavura kodaka annattu.
When addressed [by his son] in the bazar as "Father," he replied, "Son! unto whom wert thou born?"
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes a general remark or expresses pain/need, and a stranger or bystander responds with an unnecessarily intrusive, mocking, or irrelevant personal question. It highlights the lack of empathy or the absurdity of some people's reactions to others' distress in public.
Want of natural affection. Selfish indifference.
ఉడుకవే కూరా ఉగాది దాకా అంటే, నాకేమి పనిలేదు ఏరువాక దాకా అన్నట్టు.
udukave kura ugadi daka ante, nakemi paniledu eruvaka daka annattu.
When told 'O curry, keep cooking until Ugadi', it replied 'I have no work until Eruvaka anyway'.
This proverb describes someone who is extremely lazy or slow. It refers to a situation where a person is asked to do a simple task very slowly as a joke, but they respond by saying they are willing to take even longer because they have no intention of working at all. It is used to mock people who look for excuses to procrastinate or avoid any kind of effort.
కులానికి ఇంత అంటే తలా గోరంత అన్నట్లు
kulaniki inta ante tala goranta annatlu
If you give a little to the whole community, each individual gets only a tiny bit like a fingernail.
This proverb is used to describe situations where a resource, when distributed among a very large group of people, results in each person receiving a negligible or insignificant amount. It highlights the dilution of benefits in over-crowded or large-scale distributions.
ఇల్లరికముకన్నా మూలరికం మేలు
illarikamukanna mularikam melu
Remaining in a corner is better than living as a resident son-in-law.
This proverb highlights the loss of self-respect often experienced by a man who moves into his wife's parental home (Illarikam). It suggests that living in poverty or isolation (Mularikam) while maintaining one's dignity is far superior to the dependency and potential humiliation faced when living under the roof of in-laws.