మంచి పెంపు చెడ్డలోతు అన్ని దేశాలలో అన్ని జాతులలో సమానం.

This proverb refers to the transient and illusory nature of certain desires or possessions. Just as you cannot hold a woman seen in a dream or grab a reflection in the water, some things in life are unreachable or temporary despite appearing real or attractive.

This proverb describes someone who travels to far-off places or spends excessive resources just to show off, maintain a certain status, or seek vanity. It is often used to criticize people who neglect their responsibilities or exhaust their wealth simply to gain superficial recognition or to keep up appearances.

This expression describes a person who strategically chooses their position to avoid responsibility or danger. Among monitor lizards (which are slow/harmless), they act like a leader (the head), but among dangerous snakes, they act like the tail to stay inconspicuous and safe. It refers to someone who is opportunistic or cowardly, changing their status based on the company they are in.

This expression describes human nature where people tend to forget those who helped them or ignore their responsibilities when they are wealthy and successful, but cry out for help and complain loudly when they face difficulties.

This proverb describes a situation where a person has grand aspirations or fantasies but lives in poverty or hardship. It is used to highlight the stark contrast between one's desires/dreams and their actual meager circumstances.

This expression is used to describe a person who is unreliable, inconsistent, or avoids responsibility at critical moments. It refers to someone who is missing when the food is served (on the leaf-plate) and also missing when the sacred rituals (offerings to ancestors) are performed, implying they are nowhere to be found when needed or that they belong nowhere.

This proverb describes a person who holds a lowly or insignificant position within an elite or superior group, yet is considered highly influential or superior among a lower or less-privileged group. It is used to mock someone's shifting social status or their tendency to act superior only when among their subordinates.

This proverb describes a lazy or opportunistic person who avoids the hard work (plowing/sowing) but arrives promptly to claim the benefits or rewards (harvesting). It is used to criticize those who do not contribute to a task but expect a share in its success.

This is an old traditional saying based on physiognomy and social stereotypes. It suggests that individuals who possess physical characteristics uncommon to their community (like a very dark-skinned priest or a very fair-skinned laborer) are deviants from the norm and should be approached with caution or suspicion regarding their character.

This proverb describes a person who is a misfit or acts hypocritically depending on their surroundings. It refers to someone who pretends to be virtuous or conservative when among the immoral, but acts indecently or irresponsibly when among respectable people. It is often used to critique people who lack consistency in their character and adapt the wrong traits for the wrong environment.