కొత్త శ్రీమంతుణ్ణోయ్, బంగారు కత్తితో బరుకు అన్నాట్ట
kotta shrimantunnoy, bangaru kattito baruku annatta
I am a newly rich man, scratch me with a gold knife, he said.
This proverb is used to mock someone who has recently acquired wealth and is showing off excessively or behaving with newfound arrogance. It highlights how people who gain sudden status often make absurd, pretentious demands to flaunt their status, even when it is impractical or painful.
Related Phrases
ఎడ్డి, మడ్డి బంగారు కడ్డి
eddi, maddi bangaru kaddi
Ignorant, muddy, yet a gold bar
This expression is used to describe someone who appears foolish, uneducated, or unrefined on the outside but possesses great internal value, wealth, or talent. It suggests that one should not judge a person's worth solely based on their outward appearance or lack of sophistication.
మన్ను పెట్టితే బంగారము, బంగారము పెట్టితే మన్ను.
mannu pettite bangaramu, bangaramu pettite mannu.
You get gold out of earth and earth out of gold. i. e. you buy land with money.
This proverb highlights the unpredictable nature of luck and timing. It suggests that when one is going through a fortunate period, even a worthless effort (mud) turns into wealth (gold), but during an unfortunate period, even a valuable investment (gold) can turn into a loss (mud). It is often used to describe the irony of success and failure.
మాటకు మాట శృంగారము, పేటకు కోట శృంగారము
mataku mata shringaramu, petaku kota shringaramu
A word is the ornament of a word, a fort is the ornament of a town.
This proverb emphasizes that just as a fort protects and dignifies a town, a quick and fitting reply (repartee) adds grace and completeness to a conversation. It is used to highlight the importance of effective communication and responsiveness in dialogue.
బంగారపు కత్తి
bangarapu katti
A golden knife. Said of something of intrinsic value but of no utility.
This expression is used to describe something that is beautiful or attractive but nonetheless harmful or dangerous. Just because a knife is made of gold, it doesn't mean it won't cut; it implies that one should not be deceived by outward elegance when the inherent nature is destructive.
బంగారు గాలానికే బంగారు చేపలు పడవు
bangaru galanike bangaru chepalu padavu
Golden hooks do not necessarily catch golden fish.
This expression means that using expensive or high-quality tools does not always guarantee a superior or successful outcome. It highlights that merit, skill, or luck often matter more than the outward appearance or cost of the resources used. It is used to caution against the belief that money alone can buy success.
ఇంటికి ఈలకత్తి, పొరుగుకు బంగారు కత్తి
intiki ilakatti, poruguku bangaru katti
An iron sickle for the home, a golden knife for the neighbors.
This expression is used to describe a person who is stingy, harsh, or negligent toward their own family and household, while being overly generous, helpful, or displaying a false sense of grandeur to outsiders and neighbors.
మన్ను పట్టితే బంగారం, బంగారం పట్టితే మన్ను
mannu pattite bangaram, bangaram pattite mannu
Touching mud turns it into gold, touching gold turns it into mud
This proverb describes the extremes of luck or fortune. It refers to a person's current 'luck streak'—when someone is highly successful, even their smallest efforts (mud) yield great results (gold). Conversely, when someone is going through a period of extreme misfortune, even their most valuable assets or best efforts fail miserably.
మాటకు మాట శృంగారం, పేటకు కోట శృంగారం
mataku mata shringaram, petaku kota shringaram
A reply for a word is the beauty of a conversation, as a fort is the beauty of a town.
This proverb emphasizes the importance of wit and timely responses in a conversation. Just as a fort provides grandeur and protection to a settlement, an apt and quick-witted reply enhances the quality and elegance of a dialogue.
నరకలేని బంటుకు కత్తి చురుకు లేదన్నట్లు
narakaleni bantuku katti churuku ledannatlu
Like a soldier who cannot strike claiming the sword is not sharp.
This expression is used to describe someone who lacks skill or ability but blames their tools or circumstances for their failure. It is equivalent to the English proverb 'A bad workman always blames his tools.'
బంగారం పడితే మన్ను, మన్ను పడితే బంగారం అయినట్లు
bangaram padite mannu, mannu padite bangaram ayinatlu
Like gold turning into mud and mud turning into gold.
This expression describes the volatility of luck or fortune. It refers to a situation where a person with bad luck can turn a valuable opportunity (gold) into a failure (mud), while a person with good luck or skill can turn even a worthless thing into something precious.