ముడ్డి కిందికి నీళ్లు వస్తే లేవక మానరు.
muddi kindiki nillu vaste levaka manaru.
They won't fail to rise up when the water reaches their pos- teriors. ( Bee No. 970. ) Alluding to a flood. Said of apathetic persons who won't move to get out of danger until they are actually obliged.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone only takes action when a problem becomes imminent and personal. It implies that people are often lazy or indifferent until a crisis literally touches them, forcing them to move or react out of necessity.
Related Phrases
పచ్చగడ్డికి నీళ్ళు ఆగుతాయా?
pachchagaddiki nillu agutaya?
Does water stay on green grass?
This expression is used to describe two people who are extremely hostile toward each other. It implies that their relationship is so volatile or their hatred so intense that they cannot coexist peacefully even for a moment, much like water quickly sliding off blades of grass.
దివిటీ కింద దీపం
diviti kinda dipam
A lamp under a torch. One insignificant before the other.
This expression is used to describe a situation where a smaller or less significant thing is overshadowed or ignored in the presence of something much larger or brighter. It can also refer to someone who provides light or guidance to others but remains in darkness or unrecognized themselves, similar to the English idiom 'The cobbler's children go barefoot.'
గోరు వాస్తే వేలంత, వేలు వాస్తే కాలంత, కాలు వాస్తే రోలంత, రోలు వాస్తే ఎంత?
goru vaste velanta, velu vaste kalanta, kalu vaste rolanta, rolu vaste enta?
If the nail swell, [it will be ] as big as the finger; if the finger swell, [it will be ] as big as the leg; if the leg swell, [it will be ] as big as a mortar; if the mortar swell, how big [ will it be ? ] Said in ridicule of a logician.
This is a humorous and logical Telugu proverb or riddle used to describe exaggeration or the concept of exponential growth/inflation. It highlights how a small issue, if left unchecked or exaggerated, can become absurdly large. It is often used to mock someone who is blowing things out of proportion or to point out the logical fallacy in a sequence of exaggerations.
దీపం కింద చీకటి
dipam kinda chikati
It is always dark underneath a lamp. Rogucy hides under the judgment seat.
This proverb refers to a situation where someone who provides light, knowledge, or help to the world fails to apply the same to their own immediate surroundings or family. It is used to describe an influential or talented person whose own home or private life remains in neglect or ignorance.
చవక వస్తే బజారుకు వస్తుంది
chavaka vaste bajaruku vastundi
If it becomes cheap, it comes to the marketplace.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is only willing to do something or offer their services when it requires very little effort or when the risk is extremely low. It is often used to mock someone who avoids responsibility or hard work but suddenly appears when things become easy or free.
నీళ్లు తాగేవాడికి నిలుకడ లేదు
nillu tagevadiki nilukada ledu
The one who drinks water has no stability.
This proverb is used to describe someone who is restless, indecisive, or constantly on the move. Just as a person drinking water from their hands or a vessel might be in a hurry to finish and move on, it refers to a person who lacks patience or a steady nature.
మాటే లేకుంటే చోటే లేదు
mate lekunte chote ledu
If there is no word, there is no place.
This proverb emphasizes the importance of communication and social interaction. It suggests that if you do not speak or express yourself properly, you will not find a place for yourself in society or in a specific situation. It is often used to encourage people to speak up or to highlight that social status and inclusion are built through speech and reputation.
ముడ్డికిందికి నీళ్లు వస్తే లేవక మానరు
muddikindiki nillu vaste levaka manaru
When water reaches beneath the buttocks, one cannot help but get up.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is forced to act only when a problem becomes imminent or unavoidable. It suggests that most people do not take action until a crisis is literally 'at their seat,' highlighting human tendency towards procrastination until there is no other choice.
గురివింద గింజ తన ఎరుపు ఎరుగును గాని తన ముడ్డి కింద నలుపు ఎరుగదు
gurivinda ginja tana erupu erugunu gani tana muddi kinda nalupu erugadu
The Guruvinda seed knows its redness, but not the blackness of its lower part. A man values himself highly, but does not know his own defects. No one sees his own faults. (German.)
This proverb is used to describe a person who is quick to point out faults in others while being completely oblivious to their own flaws. The Gurivinda seed (Rosary Pea) is bright red and beautiful, but has a distinct black spot at its bottom which it cannot 'see'. It serves as a metaphor for hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness.
గుంతకు వస్తే మరదలు మిట్టకు వస్తే వదిన
guntaku vaste maradalu mittaku vaste vadina
If in a ditch she is a sister-in-law (younger); if on a mound she is a sister-in-law (elder).
This expression is used to describe opportunistic behavior. It refers to a person who changes their relationship or attitude towards someone based on the situation or their own convenience. In this context, calling someone 'maradalu' implies a more casual or lower-status relationship when things are difficult (ditch), while calling them 'vadina' implies a more respectful or distant relationship when things are better (mound). It characterizes a fair-weather friend or someone who is inconsistently respectful.