మొగవాని మూతిపై ఉంటే, నాకు ముంజేతిపై ఉన్నవి వెంట్రుకలు అన్నదట ఒక మగరాయుడు

mogavani mutipai unte, naku munjetipai unnavi ventrukalu annadata oka magarayudu

Translation

When it was said a man has hair on his lip (mustache), a manly woman replied that she has hair on her forearms.

Meaning

This expression describes a situation where someone tries to outdo or compete with another person's natural traits or achievements in an unnecessary or exaggerated manner. It is used to mock people who are overly competitive or who try to claim superiority by citing trivial or irrelevant comparisons.

Related Phrases

When told a beard would be shaved for one and a half cowrie shells, he asked how much it would cost for one and a half hairs.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely stingy or excessively calculative over trivial matters. It mocks someone who tries to negotiate or find a bargain even when the price is already negligibly low, often missing the bigger picture due to their pettiness.

Like pulling a hair out of butter

This expression is used to describe a task or process that is performed with extreme ease, smoothness, or without any resistance. It is often used when someone handles a difficult situation effortlessly or when a resolution is reached very cleanly.

Like saying 'I found them! Hairs in a woolen blanket.'

This proverb is used to mock someone who claims to have made a great discovery or solved a complex mystery, when in reality, what they found was obvious, inevitable, or insignificant. Since a woolen blanket (kambali) is naturally made of fibers/hair, 'finding' hair in it is not an achievement at all.

If you have a mustache on your face, I have hair on my forearm, she said.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to assert superiority or dominance, and the other person responds with an equally boastful or defiant retort. It signifies that one person is not inferior to the other and can match their ego or status with their own. It is often used to highlight stubbornness or a tit-for-tat attitude in an argument.

Why does a deceitful widow need bangles for her forearms?

This proverb is used to criticize hypocrisy or the desire for outward show by someone who lacks the basic character or status to justify it. In a traditional context, it suggests that someone who is dishonest or undeserving shouldn't be concerned with luxury or ornamentation. It is often applied to people who try to act grand while having a questionable reputation.

Like taking a hair out of butter.

This expression is used to describe a task that is performed with extreme ease, smoothness, and without any resistance or obstacles. It can also refer to resolving a delicate situation very tactfully and cleanly.

Said of a very easy business. How easily a hair gets into butter ! (Gorman.)*

Like removing a hair from butter

This expression is used to describe a task performed with extreme ease, smoothness, and without causing any disturbance or damage. It signifies a delicate operation executed so perfectly that the surroundings remain unaffected, often used to describe resolving a complex issue effortlessly.

Eating rice while sitting on a woolen blanket and picking out hairs.

This expression is used to describe a person who knowingly enters a difficult or messy situation and then complains about the obvious, inevitable problems that come with it. It suggests that one should expect certain inconveniences when choosing a specific path or environment.

Like tying a hair to the sky

This expression is used to describe an impossible or extremely difficult task that requires extraordinary precision or is practically unattainable. It often refers to attempting something that has no solid foundation or trying to achieve a goal through highly improbable means.

If you tie a hair to a mountain, the mountain will come or the hair only go. The possibility of great gain with the risk of little loss.

This expression is used to describe a high-reward, low-risk situation. It encourages taking a chance where the potential gain is massive and the potential loss is negligible or insignificant.