పట్టణానికి పోయిన గాడిద, పల్లెకుపోయిన గాడిదను కరిచిందట

pattananiki poyina gadida, pallekupoyina gadidanu karichindata

Translation

The donkey that went to the city bit the donkey that went to the village.

Meaning

This proverb is used to mock people who return from a big city or a prestigious position and act superior or arrogant toward those who stayed in their hometown or humble roots. It highlights the empty vanity of someone who feels elevated by their environment despite their basic nature remaining the same.

Related Phrases

A knife that has lost its sharpness, and farming that has missed its season.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of timing and readiness. Just as a blunt knife is useless for cutting, farming becomes futile if the right season or opportunity is missed. It is used to convey that actions must be taken at the appropriate time to be effective.

Like going to Kashi and bringing back a donkey's egg.

This expression is used to mock someone who undertakes a long, arduous journey or puts in significant effort, only to return with something useless, non-existent, or disappointing. Since donkeys do not lay eggs, it highlights the absurdity and futility of the person's claim or achievement after a grand endeavor.

A hard field and donkey's milk

This proverb is used to describe a situation that is completely useless or yields no benefit despite hard work. Just as a hard, barren field produces no crop and a donkey's milk is generally not consumed, it refers to a wasted effort or a lost cause where the resources and results are both worthless.

The braying donkey spoiled the grazing donkey.

This proverb describes a situation where someone who is minding their own business and working productively is distracted or ruined by the foolish actions of another. It is used when a person's good progress is halted because they joined company with someone loud, lazy, or troublesome.

One must even touch the feet of a donkey until the task is completed.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one must humble themselves or flatter even an unworthy or inferior person to get a specific job done or to achieve a goal. It emphasizes pragmatism and temporary compromise for the sake of success.

Even if it carries sandalwood, a donkey is still a donkey.

This proverb means that external appearance or the company of greatness does not change one's inherent nature or lack of intelligence. It is used to describe someone who lacks wisdom or refinement despite being in a prestigious position or possessing valuable resources.

As time went on, the hunchbacked horse turned into a donkey.

This expression is used to describe a situation that gradually deteriorates or degrades over time instead of improving. It is often applied to projects, reputations, or quality that starts with some promise (even if flawed) but ends up becoming something much worse or inferior.

Treating a horse and a donkey as the same.

This expression is used to describe a situation where no distinction is made between excellence and mediocrity, or between something valuable and something worthless. It highlights a lack of judgment or fairness when a person of great merit is treated the same as someone with none.

Donkey's chaos/clipping

This expression is used to describe a situation of extreme chaos, disorder, or a messy state of affairs. It often refers to something that is disorganized, nonsensical, or a noisy disturbance where nothing constructive is happening.

Even if you pour sandalwood powder on it, a donkey remains a donkey.

This proverb is used to describe a person who cannot change their inherent nature or lack of refinement, regardless of how much wealth, education, or luxury is bestowed upon them. It suggests that external appearances or decorations cannot hide one's true character or stupidity.