నోరంతా పళ్ళు, ఊరంతా అప్పులు
noranta pallu, uranta appulu
A mouth full of teeth, a town full of debts.
This proverb is used to describe someone who smiles or talks excessively to hide their financial troubles, or someone who maintains an outward appearance of cheerfulness despite being heavily indebted to many people in the community.
Related Phrases
గోరంత ఉంటే కొండంత చేస్తాడు
goranta unte kondanta chestadu
When it is as small as a finger nail, he makes a mountain of it. To make a mountain of a mole-hill.
This expression is used to describe someone who has a habit of exaggerating small, insignificant matters or trivial issues into major problems or grand stories. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.
అంతా కంత
anta kanta
All of it is just a hole/gap
This expression is used to describe a situation where there is a total loss, or when something is completely hollow, empty, or useless despite appearances. It implies that everything has gone down the drain or that the entirety of a matter results in nothingness.
కొండంత తన తప్పు గోరంత, గోరంత ఒరుతప్పు కొండంత
kondanta tana tappu goranta, goranta orutappu kondanta
One's own mountain-sized fault is seen as small as a fingernail, while another's fingernail-sized fault is seen as big as a mountain.
This proverb describes the common human tendency to be hypocritical. It refers to someone who minimizes or ignores their own massive mistakes while exaggerating and criticizing the smallest flaws in others. It is used to point out bias, lack of self-reflection, or unfair judgment.
ఉల్లిపాయంత బలిజ ఉంటే, ఊరంతా చెడుస్తాడు.
ullipayanta balija unte, uranta chedustadu.
If there is a Balija as small as an onion, he will ruin the whole village.
This is a traditional Telugu proverb (sameta) used to describe a person who is small in stature or status but possesses a cunning or mischievous nature capable of causing widespread trouble. It highlights how a single manipulative individual can disrupt the peace of an entire community.
కోడి కొత్త అప్పులు చేయిస్తుంది, వండి పాత అప్పులు తీరుస్తుంది
kodi kotta appulu cheyistundi, vandi pata appulu tirustundi
A hen causes new debts, but its cooked meat clears old debts.
This proverb is used to describe investments or ventures that require upfront borrowing or initial expenditure but eventually yield high enough profits to cover both the new and old debts. It highlights the value of productive assets.
గోరంత ఉంటే కొండంత చేస్తాడు
goranta unte kondanta chestadu
If it is as small as a fingernail, he makes it as big as a mountain.
This expression is used to describe a person who has a habit of exaggerating things or blowing small issues out of proportion. It is similar to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.
గోరంత ఆలస్యం కొండంత నష్టం
goranta alasyam kondanta nashtam
A fingernail-sized delay causes a mountain-sized loss.
This proverb emphasizes the critical importance of punctuality and timely action. It suggests that even a tiny or negligible delay can lead to catastrophic or massive consequences. It is used to advise someone to be prompt and not to underestimate the risks of procrastination.
ఊరినిండా అప్పులు, నోటినిండా పళ్ళు
urininda appulu, notininda pallu
A village full of debts, a mouth full of teeth.
This expression is used to describe a person who is drowning in debt but remains shamelessly cheerful or continues to grin as if nothing is wrong. It mocks the irony of having many liabilities while maintaining a facade of carefree happiness or showing off.
గోరంత దీపం కొండంత వెలుగు
goranta dipam kondanta velugu
The lamp (wick) is of the size of a nail; illumination the size of a hill.
Even a small lamp can give a wide glow. Physical size does not always lead to insignificant actions. It is the largeness of purpose that makes the act big.
కులానికి ఇంత అంటే తలా గోరంత అన్నట్లు
kulaniki inta ante tala goranta annatlu
If you give a little to the whole community, each individual gets only a tiny bit like a fingernail.
This proverb is used to describe situations where a resource, when distributed among a very large group of people, results in each person receiving a negligible or insignificant amount. It highlights the dilution of benefits in over-crowded or large-scale distributions.