మొగుడే ముండా అంటే ముష్టికి వచ్చినవాడు కూడా ముండా అంటాడు.
mogude munda ante mushtiki vachchinavadu kuda munda antadu.
If the husband calls his wife a widow, the beggar who comes to the door will also call her a widow.
This proverb highlights that if a family member (especially a protector) treats their own kin with disrespect or demeans them in public, outsiders will feel emboldened to do the same. It is used to advise that one must maintain dignity and respect within the family to ensure the world respects them as well.
Related Phrases
అన్న వస్తే ముష్టికి పోతాను అన్నట్లు
anna vaste mushtiki potanu annatlu
Like saying, 'I will go for alms once my brother arrives'
This proverb describes a person who is excessively lazy or dependent. It refers to someone who waits for someone else's arrival or help to perform even a basic task or to seek their own livelihood, showing a lack of initiative and a tendency to procrastinate.
చెట్టు ముందా, విత్తు ముందా అన్నట్టు
chettu munda, vittu munda annattu
Like asking whether the tree was first or the seed.
This expression is used to describe a classic 'chicken and egg' dilemma. It refers to a situation or debate where it is impossible to determine which of two related things happened first or is the primary cause of the other.
A problem that cannot be solved. Ask which was born first, the hen or the egg. (Italian.)*
శుభం అంటే పెళ్ళి, మూసం అంటే ముండ అన్నట్లు
shubham ante pelli, musam ante munda annatlu
Like saying 'Subham' means marriage and 'Musam' means widow.
This expression is used to describe a person who interprets things in an extreme or overly simplistic manner, often skipping the nuances of a situation. It mocks someone who jumps to conclusions or uses crude logic to equate broad terms with specific outcomes.
మొగుడు చచ్చిన వెనక ముండకు బుద్ధి వచ్చినది.
mogudu chachchina venaka mundaku buddhi vachchinadi.
After her husband's death, the jade came to her senses.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone realizes their mistake or understands the importance of something only after it is permanently lost or when it is too late to rectify the damage. It highlights the futility of late realization.
చెట్టు ముందా విత్తు ముందా అన్నట్లు
chettu munda vittu munda annatlu
Like asking whether the tree came first or the seed first.
This expression is used to describe a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma or a circular argument where it is impossible to determine which of two related things happened or existed first. It is often applied to situations involving infinite regress or complex causal loops.
ఏరు ముందా ఏరువాక ముందా
eru munda eruvaka munda
Is the river first or the plowing festival first?
This is a rhetorical expression or a riddle-like saying often used to discuss the cyclical nature of things or to question priorities. 'Eruvaka' refers to the traditional festival marking the beginning of the plowing season. It highlights the deep connection between the arrival of rains (rivers) and the start of agricultural activity.
సుత్తె ముందా? కారు ముందా?
sutte munda? karu munda?
Was the hammer first, or were the tongs ?
This expression is used to describe a situation of extreme confusion, circular logic, or a 'chicken and egg' dilemma. It refers to the irony that a blacksmith needs a hammer to make pincers, but needs pincers to hold the metal to make a hammer. It is often used to mock someone who is confused about the order of operations or stuck in a paradox.
ముష్టిలో ముష్టి ధర్మ ముష్టి
mushtilo mushti dharma mushti
Among the fists, the fist of charity.
This expression is a play on words using 'Mushti' (which can mean both 'a fist' and 'begging/alms'). It highlights the ironic situation where someone who is already poor or a beggar themselves tries to help another beggar. It is used to describe an act of charity performed by those who have very little to give, emphasizing that even the smallest act of kindness from the poor is significant.
మూడు తరాల దరిద్రుడు ముష్టికి వచ్చినట్లు.
mudu tarala daridrudu mushtiki vachchinatlu.
Like a person who has been poor for three generations coming to beg.
This proverb is used to describe someone who, despite having long-standing experience in a state of lack or misfortune, still manages to be clumsy, greedy, or inefficient when an opportunity finally arises. It often refers to someone who doesn't know how to handle a situation even after being in it for a very long time, or someone whose deep-rooted habits make them over-eager in a way that is counterproductive.
లగ్గం ముందా పల్లకి ముందా అన్నాట్ట
laggam munda pallaki munda annatta
Did the auspicious wedding time come first, or did the palanquin arrive first?
This proverb is used to describe a situation where one is caught up in trivial or logistical details (like the arrival of a transport palanquin) while overlooking the primary, essential event (the wedding timing itself). It refers to poor prioritization or unnecessary confusion regarding the order of events.