నయానా భయానా చెప్పాలి గాని నాలుక కోస్తే ఎలా?

nayana bhayana cheppali gani naluka koste ela?

Translation

You should tell someone through persuasion or fear, but how is it right to cut their tongue?

Meaning

This expression is used to suggest that one should use diplomacy, gentle persuasion, or subtle warnings (carrots and sticks) to get someone to listen, rather than resorting to extreme, irreversible, or cruel punishments. It emphasizes that corrective measures should be proportionate and aimed at reform rather than destruction.

Related Phrases

Badarayana relationship

This expression is used to describe a forced, far-fetched, or imaginary connection between two unrelated things or people. It refers to an illogical attempt to establish a relationship where none naturally exists.

They won't drink milk when asked kindly, but they will drink even poison out of fear.

This expression is used to describe people who do not cooperate or listen when treated with kindness and gentleness, but will comply with even the most difficult or harmful demands when threatened or coerced. It highlights that some individuals only respond to force or fear rather than reason and politeness.

Instead of seeking justice, I will bring my uncle.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person, instead of presenting a logical argument or following a fair process, relies on influence, muscle power, or family connections to settle a matter. It highlights the tendency of some people to ignore the rules of law or fairness in favor of personal backup or intimidation.

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.

The Jangama's rhythm and the Dasari's music

This expression refers to a situation where two different people or groups are working together in an uncoordinated, chaotic, or mismatched manner. It is used to describe a lack of synchronization or harmony in a joint effort.

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.

Cooking done in youth - A son born in youth

This proverb highlights that certain things are most effective or beneficial when done at the right age or time. Just as one has the energy to cook well and the health to enjoy food in their youth, having children while young ensures that the parents are strong enough to raise them and will have their children's support while the parents are still relatively active.

By mildness or severity. If one does not answer, the other must be tried.

This expression refers to a strategy of using both persuasion (friendly approach) and intimidation (threats) to get something done. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'by hook or by crook' or 'the carrot and the stick' approach.

Work that cannot be done with kindness, will be done through fear

This expression is used to suggest that when gentle persuasion, politeness, or soft tactics fail to achieve a result, the use of authority, threats, or fear becomes necessary to get the job done. It highlights the shift from a 'carrot' approach to a 'stick' approach.

The tongue without nerves goes all ways. When the conscience is dead, moral restraint disappears.

This proverb is used to describe people who are inconsistent or unreliable in their speech. Since the tongue is flexible (boneless), it can easily twist the truth, make false promises, or change versions of a story to suit the situation. It serves as a warning not to trust everything someone says blindly.