కోడు ఒకడు తీస్తే కొమ్మ ఒకడు తీస్తాడు.
kodu okadu tiste komma okadu tistadu.
If one person pulls the trunk, another pulls the branch.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where multiple people are working at cross-purposes or interfering with each other's work. It highlights a lack of coordination where one person's actions are countered or complicated by another's unnecessary involvement, leading to inefficiency or failure.
Related Phrases
పట్టినది చింత కొమ్మ గాని ములగ కొమ్మ కాదు
pattinadi chinta komma gani mulaga komma kadu
What I am clinging to is a Tamarind bough, not a Mulaga. The tamarind wood is pliable, but the Mulaga ( Hyperanthera Moringa ) is brittle. Said by a parasite of his staunch protector.
This expression is used to describe someone who is firm, reliable, and strong. A tamarind branch is known for its extreme flexibility and strength (it doesn't break easily), whereas a drumstick branch is very brittle and snaps quickly. It is used to compliment someone's resilience or to indicate that a task or person is more formidable than they appear.
ఈరు తీస్తే పేను వచ్చినట్లు
iru tiste penu vachchinatlu
Like a louse appearing when a nit is removed
This expression is used to describe a situation where one problem leads to another, or when investigating a small issue reveals a much larger, more difficult problem. It is similar to the English concept of 'opening a can of worms' or 'pulling a thread' only to find a bigger mess.
అయినవారు లోతుకు తీస్తే, కానివారు మిట్టకు తీస్తారు
ayinavaru lotuku tiste, kanivaru mittaku tistaru
If your own people pull you deep (into trouble), strangers will pull you to the shore.
This proverb highlights that sometimes those close to us can be more harmful or detrimental to our progress than strangers. It is often used to describe situations where family or friends cause difficulties, while unexpected help comes from outsiders.
ఒక రాజుకు ముగ్గురు సేవకులు- ఒకడు పిలిస్తే పలుకనివాడు, ఇంకొకడు స్తంభం చాటుగాడు, మరొకడు అదే పోతగాడు.
oka rajuku mugguru sevakulu- okadu piliste palukanivadu, inkokadu stambham chatugadu, marokadu ade potagadu.
A king has three servants - one who doesn't answer when called, one who hides behind pillars, and another who simply goes away.
This is a humorous proverb or riddle describing useless or lazy subordinates. It is used to mock a situation where a leader is surrounded by incompetent people: one who ignores instructions, one who avoids work by hiding, and one who simply disappears when needed.
స్తంభం చాటుగాడు ఒకడు, అదే పోతగాడు ఇంకొకడు, పోతే రానివాడు మరియొకడు.
stambham chatugadu okadu, ade potagadu inkokadu, pote ranivadu mariyokadu.
One who hides behind a pillar, one who goes away, and one who never returns once gone.
This is a riddle describing the three main functions of a human being: The pillar-hider is the body (which stays in one place), the one who goes is the breath (inhaling and exhaling), and the one who never returns once gone is the life force or soul (Atma). It is used in philosophical or spiritual contexts to reflect on the transient nature of life.
పెండ్లిని చూస్తూ ఒకడుంటే, పెండ్లాన్ని చూస్తూ ఒకడున్నాడు.
pendlini chustu okadunte, pendlanni chustu okadunnadu.
While one is looking at the wedding ceremony, another is looking at the bride.
This proverb highlights how different people have different priorities or intentions in the same situation. While one person may be focused on the event or the process (the wedding), another may be focused on personal gain or a specific attraction (the wife). It is used to describe situations where people's motives are not aligned despite being in the same environment.
స్తంభం చాటువాడొకడు, అదే పోతగాడు ఒకడు, పోతే రానివాడు మరొకడు.
stambham chatuvadokadu, ade potagadu okadu, pote ranivadu marokadu.
One who hides behind a pillar, one who goes like that, and one who goes and never returns.
This is a traditional riddle (podupu katha) describing the process of a human birth and death. It refers to the father (pillar), the child (coming into the world), and the soul or life breath (which never returns once it leaves). It is used to describe the cycle of life and the transience of human existence.
ఒకడు తిమి, ఇంకొకడు తిమింగలము.
okadu timi, inkokadu timingalamu.
One is a whale, and the other is a leviathan.
This expression is used to compare two individuals who are both formidable or cunning, suggesting that if one is powerful, the other is even more so. It implies a competition between two equally strong or deceptive personalities.
ఏరు మూరెడు తీస్తే, కయ్య బారెడు తీస్తుంది.
eru muredu tiste, kayya baredu tistundi.
When the river goes down a cubit, the water in the field goes down a fathom. If you lose a little in the favor of the great, you sink four times as much in the estimation of the people.
This proverb highlights how small negligence or a minor initial damage can lead to a much larger disaster. In agriculture, it specifically refers to how a small breach in a water channel (eru) can quickly result in the total destruction of the field (kayya) due to the force of the water. It is used to advise people to address problems while they are still small.
కోటి తలపడేవాడు ఒకడు, కూర్పులు లెక్కపెట్టేవాడు ఒకడు
koti talapadevadu okadu, kurpulu lekkapettevadu okadu
One person dreams of millions, while another counts the stitches.
This expression describes a situation where there is a massive gap in perspective or scale between two people. While one person is thinking about grand, ambitious goals (millions), the other is obsessively focused on trivial, minute details (stitches). It is used to highlight a lack of coordination or a mismatch in priorities within a task or partnership.