కాలే కడుపుకు మండే గంజి.

kale kadupuku mande ganji.

Translation

Scalding rice water to a burning ( hungry ) stomach.

Meaning

This proverb describes a state of extreme hunger or desperation where a person doesn't care about the quality, temperature, or condition of what is offered; they only care about satisfying their immediate, dire need. It is used to illustrate how necessity overrides preferences.

Notes

Anything is acceptable to one who is in want. Beggars must not be choosers. Hungry dogs will eat dirty puddings. A hungry ass eats any straw. ( Italian. )*

Related Phrases

If it is pleasing to the eye, it is also pleasing to the stomach.

This expression suggests that the visual presentation of food directly affects how appetizing it feels. It is used to emphasize that if something looks good and clean, one feels comfortable and eager to consume it. It highlights the importance of aesthetics in culinary experiences.

Food for a full stomach, oil for a bald head.

This proverb describes things that are redundant, unnecessary, or wasted. Just as offering food to someone who is already full or applying hair oil to a bald head is pointless, it refers to providing help or resources to those who do not need them.

Setting fire to water and then beating one's stomach (in grief) because it didn't burn.

This expression describes a person who attempts a completely impossible or illogical task and then laments or complains when it inevitably fails. It is used to mock someone's foolishness, unrealistic expectations, or their habit of blaming fate for failures caused by their own lack of common sense.

Even if the kudumu (steamed dumpling) is good, the stomach is not good.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where something offered or available is excellent, but the recipient is unable to enjoy or utilize it due to their own limitations, health issues, or lack of capacity. It highlights that the quality of an external object doesn't matter if the internal condition is unfavorable.

What is pleasant to the eye is good for the stomach.

This expression suggests that the appearance or presentation of food significantly influences one's appetite and satisfaction. It is used to emphasize that when something looks appealing, it is more likely to be enjoyed or accepted. In a broader sense, it can also refer to how first impressions affect overall judgment.

Children as many as the belly of a Kanchi goat.

This proverb is used to describe someone who has a very large number of children. It refers to a legendary or symbolic 'Kanchi goat' known for its prolific breeding, symbolizing excessive fertility or a household overflowing with offspring.

The one who feeds the stomach is the biological mother.

This proverb emphasizes that providing nourishment and care is the ultimate act of motherhood. It suggests that a person's true benefactor or caretaker deserves the same respect and status as one's own mother, highlighting that love and provision are the foundations of a parental bond.

Is the rice cooked just for the sake of the starch water?

This proverb is used to point out when someone focuses on a minor byproduct or a trivial secondary outcome while ignoring the main objective. It suggests that one shouldn't perform a major task just for a small, insignificant benefit.

Like saying, 'I will tell you a medicine to stop your hunger, but first pour me some congee water.'

This expression is used to describe a hypocritical or ironic situation where a person who claims to have a solution for a problem is suffering from the exact same problem themselves. It highlights the absurdity of seeking or receiving advice from someone who cannot even help themselves.

He is a clever man no doubt, but his belly is hollow. An ironical phrase. The word rendered clever also means "solid." The expression his belly is hollow is equivalent to "empty-headed."

This expression refers to someone who appears physically strong, wealthy, or influential on the outside, but lacks actual substance, health, or resources on the inside. It is often used to describe people who maintain a grand facade despite being hollow or weak internally.