కుక్క ఎక్కలేక కాదు చచ్చేది, పెరుక్కోలేక.

kukka ekkaleka kadu chachchedi, perukkoleka.

Translation

A dog does not die because it cannot climb, but because it cannot pull itself up.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is unable to overcome a difficulty not due to a lack of effort or initial progress, but because they are stuck at a specific point and cannot find the leverage or means to complete the task. It often refers to being trapped in a predicament where one's own limitations or specific circumstances prevent a resolution.

Related Phrases

It is not about the dog being unable to cross, but the struggle of not being able to pull itself out.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is not struggling with the primary obstacle itself, but rather with the consequences or the difficult cleanup required after taking a certain action. It highlights that sometimes the aftermath of a task is more burdensome than the task itself.

A goat's pellet is the same wherever it is.

This expression is used to describe something that is insignificant, useless, or of such low value that its location or presence makes no difference. It is often applied to people or objects that have no impact on a situation regardless of where they are placed.

When a rib was given out of pity, he complained because he couldn't pull it out and eat it.

This expression is used to describe an ungrateful person who, after receiving extreme help or a sacrifice from someone, complains about the difficulty of utilizing that help. It highlights the height of ingratitude where someone helps you at their own cost, but you find fault in the assistance provided.

While the one who has nothing cries because he lacks, the one who has everything suffers because he cannot eat it.

This proverb highlights that both poverty and wealth come with their own sets of problems. While a poor person suffers from deprivation, a rich person may suffer from health issues, greed, or the inability to enjoy their abundance. It is often used to describe situations where everyone has a grievance, regardless of their status.

Boastful Bachanna supposedly died because he had no food.

This proverb is used to describe a person who puts on a grand show of wealth or status to impress others while suffering in extreme poverty or lacking basic necessities behind the scenes. It mocks the irony of prioritizing false prestige over survival.

Aha! so you were not able to find me ! Said by a jackass of a bridegroom who had hidden himself on the top of the shed at the time of the marriage, and looked on while the bride was married to another man.

This expression is used sarcastically or playfully when someone fails to notice something obvious or fails to solve a simple problem. It highlights a sense of 'I told you so' or 'Look how you missed it.' It is often used in casual conversations to tease someone about their lack of observation or insight in a specific situation.

Counting crows and accounting of village clerks

This expression refers to unreliable, fictitious, or manipulated statistics and records. It compares fraudulent bookkeeping or arbitrary reporting to trying to count a flying flock of crows, which is impossible to verify and often based on guesswork or deception.

Oh, it seems you couldn't figure it out.

This expression is used sarcastically or playfully when someone fails to notice something obvious or fails to solve a simple problem. It implies that the answer was right in front of them all along, yet they missed it.

While the poor man cried because he had nothing, the rich man cried because he couldn't eat.

This proverb highlights the irony of human suffering. While one person suffers from lack of resources, another suffers from excess or health problems that prevent them from enjoying what they have. It is often used to comment on how everyone has their own set of unique problems regardless of their status.

Like someone who couldn't stay quiet and ended up hanging themselves

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone unnecessarily interferes in a matter or tries to do something uncalled for, only to end up getting themselves into deep trouble or creating a self-inflicted disaster. It is similar to the English idea of 'digging one's own grave' by meddling in things that should have been left alone.