పక్కవాటుగా నడిచే ఎండ్రకాయను చక్కగా నడిచేటట్లు ఎవరు చేయగలరు?

pakkavatuga nadiche endrakayanu chakkaga nadichetatlu evaru cheyagalaru?

Translation

Who can make a crab that walks sideways walk straight?

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe an ingrained habit or a natural character trait that is impossible to change. Just as a crab is biologically designed to walk sideways, certain people have inherent nature or behaviors that cannot be altered by advice or force. It is often applied to stubborn individuals or situations where intervention is futile.

Related Phrases

He walks thirty miles in a month, as fast as a round plate can be thrown.

This expression is used to sarcastically describe an extremely lazy or slow person. An 'Amada' is an ancient unit of distance (approx. 12 km), and covering only three of them in an entire month suggests a ridiculously slow pace or total lack of productivity.

One must act as a fox among foxes.

This expression suggests that one must adapt to their surroundings and the company they are in to survive or succeed. It is similar to the English proverb 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do,' but with a specific emphasis on using cunning or matching the behavior of those around you, especially when dealing with shrewd people.

You can make someone close their eyes, but can you make them dream?

This expression highlights the limits of control and coercion. While you can force someone to perform an external action or follow a rule, you cannot control their internal thoughts, imagination, or true desires. It is often used to emphasize that genuine inspiration or vision cannot be forced.

If the husband and wife are in harmony, there is no worry about a wedding in the marketplace.

This proverb emphasizes that if there is unity and understanding between a husband and wife, they can overcome any challenge or manage any task—even a complex one like organizing a wedding in a busy marketplace—without stress. It highlights that marital harmony is the foundation for a peaceful and successful family life.

When medicines and herbs could not cure the scrofula (neck swelling), can a fox-faced man fix it?

This expression is used to describe a situation where experts or proven methods have failed to solve a significant problem, and an incompetent or unqualified person claims they can fix it. It highlights the absurdity of expecting a miracle from someone who lacks the necessary skills or resources when even the best solutions have failed.

If an elephant falls down, it must get up by itself; who else can lift it?

This expression is used to describe powerful or influential people who face a significant downfall. It implies that when a great person or a large entity faces a crisis, they must rely on their own inherent strength to recover, as others may lack the capacity or resources to help someone of that stature.

As you keep climbing, it keeps getting taller.

This expression is used to describe a task or a situation that seems never-ending or becomes increasingly difficult the more effort you put into it. It can also refer to people who become more arrogant or demanding as they gain more power or attention.

A short-tailed young bull won't budge even if poked.

This proverb refers to a person who is extremely stubborn or thick-skinned. It suggests that someone with inherent defects or a naturally defiant attitude will not change their behavior or move forward, no matter how much you pressure, coax, or push them.

Like lifting half a branch perfectly.

This expression is used to describe a person who claims to have done a great job or performed a difficult task, while in reality, they have only done a partial or mediocre job. It highlights pretense and the act of making a small effort look like a significant achievement.

Laughter for the fox - a danger for the crab.

This proverb describes a situation that is joyful for one person but fatal or disastrous for another. It is used to highlight instances where someone's amusement comes at the cost of another's survival or well-being, similar to the English expression 'one man's meat is another man's poison.'