కిం అంటే కం అనలేడు

kim ante kam analedu

Translation

When asked " what?" he cannot say " whom ?"

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely ignorant, illiterate, or lacks even the most basic knowledge. It specifically refers to someone who cannot even complete a simple, repetitive sound or rhyme, indicating a total lack of learning or awareness.

Notes

He cannot say bo to a goose.

Related Phrases

When one says 'I have given the offering, mother', the other says 'I have received the offering, mother'

This proverb describes a situation where two people are in a hurry to finish a task or a ritual without any genuine interest or sincerity. It is used when both parties are merely 'going through the motions' to get a job over with as quickly as possible, often resulting in a superficial or perfunctory outcome.

When asked to bring the ink bottle, he smeared it all over his face.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is incredibly clumsy, foolish, or lacks basic common sense. It refers to a situation where someone is asked to perform a simple task but ends up ruining it completely or causing a mess due to their incompetence.

Decoration is the beauty of a hair bun, and a fair trial is the beauty of a mistake.

This proverb highlights the importance of propriety and resolution. Just as flowers or jewels enhance a hair bun, a mistake or a conflict should be addressed through a proper inquiry or dispute resolution process to bring a sense of justice or 'beauty' to an otherwise messy situation. It emphasizes that problems should be faced and solved rather than ignored.

When one says "cha" ( and ), he cannot answer "tu" ( but ).

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely timid, submissive, or lacks the courage to talk back or stand up for themselves. It implies the person is so docile that they cannot even utter a simple syllable in response to a provocation.

Do I not know what salt (lavanam) is? It is like calling Somidevamma's daughter 'Dudarenam'.

This proverb is used to mock someone who pretends to be an expert or highly knowledgeable but exposes their total ignorance the moment they speak. In the saying, the person claims to know the word 'Lavanam' (Salt) but immediately confuses it with a nonsensical word 'Dudarenam', proving they have no idea what they are talking about.

A lie is a word of patches

This expression suggests that telling a lie requires weaving together multiple fabricated points to make it seem believable. It implies that lies are often inconsistent or fragile, much like a cloth made of many patches that might fall apart under scrutiny.

Your age is not as much as my experience

This expression is used to assert seniority or wisdom over someone younger. It implies that the speaker has seen and learned more from life than the listener has lived in total years. It is often used during arguments or when giving unsolicited advice to highlight a disparity in life experience.

When told 'You have dug a hole for a robbery,' the response was 'I ended up living there.'

This proverb is used to describe a person who shamelessly tries to cover up their crimes or mistakes with silly excuses, or someone who starts a task with bad intentions but ends up getting stuck in that situation permanently. It highlights irony and audacity in defensive behavior.

If one says 'Chadam' (the ritualistic name), the other says 'stam' (the completion) — meaning exactly half-and-half.

This proverb is used to describe two people who are perfectly matched in their foolishness, stubbornness, or eccentricities. It suggests that if one person starts a silly act, the other completes it, implying they are both equally responsible for a peculiar or impractical situation.

When told the house is on fire, he said let's heat some water.

This proverb describes a person who is incredibly foolish, opportunistic, or indifferent to a crisis. It is used when someone tries to find a small personal benefit or suggests a trivial action in the middle of a massive disaster or an emergency situation.