కొండీ కొండీ కొడవలిటు తేవే అంటే, చస్తే నీ కాళ్ళకు మొక్కుతా, దీపమిటుతే అందిట
kondi kondi kodavalitu teve ante, chaste ni kallaku mokkuta, dipamitute andita
When asked, 'Kondi, Kondi, bring the sickle here,' she replied, 'I would rather die bowing at your feet, just bring the lamp here instead.'
This proverb is used to describe an extremely lazy or procrastinating person who, when asked to do a simple task, makes dramatic excuses or tries to redirect the work into something even easier or completely different to avoid the effort. It highlights the behavior of someone who would rather plead or beg than perform a small favor.
Related Phrases
చెవిటి పెద్దమ్మూ చేంత్రాడు తేవే అంటే, చెవుల పోగులు నా జన్మానా యెరగనన్నదట.
cheviti peddammu chentradu teve ante, chevula pogulu na janmana yeraganannadata.
When the deaf old lady was asked to bring the well-rope, she replied "I have never seen earrings in all my life."
This proverb describes a situation where there is a complete lack of communication or relevance in a conversation. It is used when someone gives an answer that is totally unrelated to the question asked, usually due to a misunderstanding, ignorance, or a tendency to focus only on their own personal concerns regardless of the context.
Applied to a stupid person not doing what he is told.
నీ చెవులకు రాగిపోగులే అంటే, అవి నీకు లేవే అన్నట్లు
ni chevulaku ragipogule ante, avi niku leve annatlu
When someone says 'your ears have copper earrings', it is as if they are saying you don't even have those.
This expression is used to describe a sarcastic or mocking tone where someone points out a person's lack of wealth or status. It implies that the person being addressed is so poor or destitute that even mentioning cheap copper earrings is a way of highlighting that they don't even possess those basic items.
కొండలు పిండి కొట్టినట్లు
kondalu pindi kottinatlu
Like grinding mountains into powder
This expression is used to describe a person who possesses extraordinary strength, capability, or determination. It characterizes someone who can achieve seemingly impossible tasks or overcome massive obstacles with great ease or force.
వగలాడీ నీకు మగలెందరే అంటే తొలి మగనితో తొంబైమంది అందిట.
vagaladi niku magalendare ante toli maganito tombaimandi andita.
When a flirtatious woman was asked how many husbands she had, she replied 'Ninety including the first one'.
This proverb is used to mock someone who tries to sound modest or innocent while admitting to a large number of faults or misdeeds. It highlights shamelessness and the futility of trying to count or justify excessive bad behavior.
గోరంత అంత కండి కొండవుతుంది
goranta anta kandi kondavutundi
A small grain becomes a mountain
This expression is used to describe a situation that starts as a minor issue but escalates into a major problem, or when someone exaggerates a tiny matter into something significant. It is similar to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.
చెవిటి పెద్దమ్మా చేంత్రాడు తేవే అంటే, చెవుల పోగులు నా జన్మానా యెరగ నన్నదట.
cheviti peddamma chentradu teve ante, chevula pogulu na janmana yeraga nannadata.
When a deaf old lady was asked to bring the well-rope, she replied that she had never known or seen earrings in her life.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone gives a completely irrelevant answer because they didn't understand the question, or when there is a significant communication gap. It highlights the absurdity of 'talking at cross-purposes' where one person's request has nothing to do with the other person's response.
రండి రండి రావే అంటే ముండా వస్తావుందు అందట
randi randi rave ante munda vastavundu andata
When told 'Please come, please come,' she replied, 'Wait, I (the widow) am coming.'
This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks self-respect or basic social awareness. It refers to someone who interprets a polite, formal invitation too literally or responds in an inappropriately informal or self-deprecating way, often causing awkwardness or showing a lack of refinement.
కాలి కాలన మొండి కట్టె
kali kalana mondi katte
A half-burnt log. Said of a mean spirited creature who resents no affront.
This expression refers to a person who is extremely stubborn, obstinate, or unresponsive to advice and logic. Just as a partially burnt, thick log of wood is difficult to handle and neither fully burns away nor remains useful, this phrase describes a person whose behavior is difficult to change or manage.
దీపావళికి దీపమంత చలి!
dipavaliki dipamanta chali!
By Diwali, the cold is as small as a lamp's flame.
This expression describes the seasonal transition in the Telugu states. It signifies that by the time of the Diwali festival, the winter season is just beginning to set in, and the cold is mild or minimal, metaphorically compared to the small heat or size of a lamp's flicker.
కొండవీటి చాంతాడు
kondaviti chantadu
The rope of Kondaveedu
This expression is used to describe something that is excessively long, tedious, or never-ending. It often refers to a very long story, a lengthy speech, or an unnecessarily extended process. Historically, it refers to the deep wells in the Kondaveedu fort which required extremely long ropes to draw water.