మణుగు సగము, మైలా సగమే.
manugu sagamu, maila sagame.
Half purity, half impurity.
This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks consistency or a situation that is neither here nor there. It refers to someone who tries to follow traditional customs (purity) but fails to do so completely (impurity), resulting in a state of confusion or hypocrisy. It characterizes an inconsistent or messy approach to tasks.
Related Phrases
సగం సాలె నేత, సగం మాల నేత
sagam sale neta, sagam mala neta
Half weaver's weaving, half laborer's weaving
This proverb is used to describe work that is inconsistent, fragmented, or lacks uniformity. It refers to a task performed by people with different styles or skill levels, resulting in a product that is not seamless or professionally finished. It is often applied to situations where multiple people handle a single job without coordination, leading to a messy outcome.
ముడి మూరెడు సాగదు
mudi muredu sagadu
A knot cannot be lengthened a cubit.
This proverb is used to describe a situation or a plan that has reached its limit and cannot be extended or improved further. It signifies that small fixes or 'knots' in a system don't add real length or value, and often suggests that something is fundamentally limited or at a standstill.
ఓలో సగం చెప్పు నాయనా అన్నాడట
olo sagam cheppu nayana annadata
In O teach me half, O father! Said by a spoilt child who wished his father to teach him half a letter at a time.
This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely lazy or lacks the patience to listen to even a small piece of information. It refers to a humorous situation where someone finds it too burdensome to hear a single letter and asks for it to be shortened, highlighting extreme lethargy or ignorance.
పీకులాట పెండ్లికి పోయి, పిల్లా నేను సగమై వచ్చినా మన్నదట
pikulata pendliki poyi, pilla nenu sagamai vachchina mannadata
She said she went to a wedding full of bickering and came back reduced to half her size
This proverb describes a situation where an event that was supposed to be joyful turns out to be extremely stressful or chaotic. It is used to mock someone who enters a situation expecting benefit or fun but ends up being physically or mentally exhausted due to unnecessary struggles, arguments, or poor management.
చెడ్డసొమ్ము చెరి సగం.
cheddasommu cheri sagam.
Bad money is divided in half.
This proverb refers to ill-gotten gains or wealth acquired through unethical means. It suggests that such money never stays with the person who earned it; it is eventually wasted, lost to others, or spent on unforeseen troubles, effectively leaving the person with nothing or only a fraction of what they started with.
వాడలో నా పోకచెక్క సగం వున్నది భాయీ
vadalo na pokachekka sagam vunnadi bhayi
My half areca nut is in the ship, brother! A merchant was returning to his country in a ship which he had laden with areca-nuts. A friend on board cunningly dropped half of a nut which he was eating into the hold, exclaiming "My half nut is in the ship, brother!" The merchant laughing replied that he would restore it, on which the other, pretending to carry on the joke, made him give a bond to the effect that his half areca-nut was in the ship. The phrase also could be construed as meaning that half the areca-nuts in the ship were his. On arriving at their destination the merchant was prosecuted by the swindler and cheated out of half his cargo. Said of a clever cheat.
This expression is used to mock people who try to claim a share or establish a connection in something they have no right to, or who exaggerate their minimal involvement in a big event. It highlights the absurdity of claiming ownership or importance based on a trivial or non-existent contribution.
ఓలో సగం చెప్ప నాయనా అన్నాడట
olo sagam cheppa nayana annadata
Please say at least half of the letter 'O', my son, he said.
This expression is used to mock someone who is extremely lazy, slow to learn, or completely uncooperative even when the task is simplified to the smallest possible degree. It refers to a humorous situation where a teacher or parent is so frustrated by a student's silence that they beg for even a tiny fraction of a simple sound/letter just to see some progress.
సగం సాలనేత, సగం మాల నేత
sagam salaneta, sagam mala neta
Half weaver's weave, half scavenger's weave
This expression refers to a task or piece of work that is done inconsistently or in a haphazard manner. It describes something that is neither here nor there, lacking a uniform standard or quality because it was handled by different people with different skill levels or methods. It is used to criticize a job that lacks perfection and coherence.
వగలమారి వంకాయ సెగ తాకగానే సగమైంది
vagalamari vankaya sega takagane sagamaindi
The boastful eggplant became half its size as soon as it felt the heat.
This proverb is used to describe people who act arrogant or showy when things are easy, but quickly lose their confidence or 'shrink' when faced with actual pressure, heat, or difficulty. It highlights how false bravado disappears under testing conditions.
సంతోషం సగం బలం.
santosham sagam balam.
Being joyful is half one’s strength.
This is to suggest that one should be joyful, especially in unfavourable circumstances. That is the way to draw strength from even adverse circumstances.