కూతురని కుంచెడిస్తే, తల్లియని కంచెడు పెట్టినదట.
kuturani kunchediste, talliyani kanchedu pettinadata.
When given a 'kunchedu' (a measure) because she is the daughter, she gave back a 'kanchedu' (a plateful) because she is the mother.
This proverb describes a situation where a generous gesture is met with an even smaller or insufficient return, or conversely, a competition in stinginess. It is used to highlight instances where someone expects more due to a relationship but receives something vastly different or inferior, or when two people try to outsmart each other in being miserly.
Related Phrases
కూతురని కుంచెడిస్తే, తల్లియని కంచెడు పెట్టినదట
kuturani kunchediste, talliyani kanchedu pettinadata
When the mother gave her daughter a kuncham of grain, the daughter set before her mother a dishful of food.
This expression describes a situation where kindness or generosity is met with even greater reciprocity. It highlights a cycle of mutual affection and hospitality between family members, specifically how a small gesture from one side is returned more abundantly by the other.
Kindness returned. Once never loseth by doing good turns. Kindness produccs kindness. ( Latin. )*
చెడు చెడు అనగానే, చెడేవారు లేరు.
chedu chedu anagane, chedevaru leru.
Just because someone says 'perish perish', nobody will actually perish.
This expression means that people do not face ruin or downfall simply because others wish it upon them or speak ill of them. It is used to suggest that ill wishes, curses, or malicious talk from others lack the power to cause real harm to a person's life or destiny.
సూది కోసం సోదెకు వెడితే, కుంచెడు బియ్యం కుక్క ముట్టుకుందట
sudi kosam sodeku vedite, kunchedu biyyam kukka muttukundata
When someone went to a fortune teller to find a lost needle, a dog touched a bushel of rice at home.
This proverb describes a situation where a person, in their pursuit of recovering a small or trivial loss, ends up incurring a much larger and more significant loss due to neglect. It is used to caution against misprioritizing small problems at the expense of larger assets.
చెడు అనకు, చెడు వినకు, చెడు కనకు
chedu anaku, chedu vinaku, chedu kanaku
Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil
This is the Telugu version of the famous 'Three Wise Monkeys' principle. It serves as an ethical maxim advising people to lead a virtuous life by avoiding participation in, or exposure to, bad influences, gossip, and negativity.
మూఢుడికి కోపం వస్తే ముంతడు బియ్యం కుక్క ముట్టింది
mudhudiki kopam vaste muntadu biyyam kukka muttindi
When a fool gets angry, a potful of rice was touched by a dog.
This proverb describes a situation where an irrational or foolish person, in a fit of anger or ego, neglects their responsibilities or resources, leading to a loss. While they are busy being angry or throwing a tantrum, something valuable is wasted or ruined due to their lack of attention.
కుంచెడున్నమ్మకు కూర్కు పట్టదు.
kunchedunnammaku kurku pattadu.
A woman who has a kuncham (a measure of grain) cannot sleep.
This proverb describes a person who becomes overly anxious or restless even with a small amount of wealth or responsibility. It is used to mock people who lose their peace of mind over trivial possessions or minor successes.
కూతురు చెడితే తల్లిది తప్పు.
kuturu chedite tallidi tappu.
If the daughter goes astray, it is the mother's fault.
This expression highlights the traditional belief that a mother is primarily responsible for her daughter's upbringing, character, and conduct. It is used to suggest that a child's failures reflect the guidance provided by the parent.
చెడుకాలానికి చెడు బుద్దులు
chedukalaniki chedu buddulu
Bad thoughts/ideas for bad times
This expression is used to describe a situation where a person starts making poor decisions or thinking negatively when they are going through a bad phase or facing a downfall. It suggests that one's intellect often fails or misleads them when their fortune is at its lowest.
గుడ్డి కంటికి కుంచెడు కాటుక
guddi kantiki kunchedu katuka
A bucketful of kohl for a blind eye
This proverb is used to describe an act of excessive waste or unnecessary decoration on something that is fundamentally broken or useless. It highlights the irony of spending resources to enhance something that cannot benefit from the enhancement, similar to 'putting lipstick on a pig' or 'pearls before swine.'
కుంచెడు బియ్యము గుమ్మడి కాయ
kunchedu biyyamu gummadi kaya
A Kunçam of raw-rice and a gourd. A modest request. A thousand Brahmins went on an auspicious occasion to bless the king and on being asked how much rice and vegetable they would each have for their meal, replied as above. The king angry and disgusted at their greediness ordered that each should be forced, with the penalty of his life, to eat the whole quantity demanded. The Brahmins however cheated the king at the suggestion of a cunning Kômaṭi, by distributing one Kunçam of rice and one pumpkin at a time among the whole number of men.
This expression is used to describe an uneven or disproportionate exchange, or a situation where a lot of resources are consumed for a single item. In a traditional sense, it refers to the heavy requirement of rice needed to accompany a large pumpkin curry, signifying that one thing necessitates a large amount of another to be useful.