పేనుకు కోపమొస్తే చెవి కరిచినట్టు

penuku kopamoste chevi karichinattu

Translation

Like a louse biting the ear when it gets angry.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who is weak or insignificant tries to show their anger or retaliate in a way that is ultimately harmless or petty. It highlights the futility of an underdog's rage against someone much stronger.

Related Phrases

All that a dog brings is filth.

This proverb is used to describe someone who consistently brings back useless things or unreliable information. It implies that you cannot expect anything of value or quality from a person who lacks the capacity or merit to provide it, much like how a dog will only scavenge for bones.

'Tis the nature of the beast.

Like getting bitten when going to bite.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone's attempt to harm or intimidate another person backfires immediately, or when someone is so aggressive that they react violently even to those similar to them. It is often used to describe highly irritable or hostile behavior.

Words come while speaking; hair comes while shaving.

This expression suggests that fluency and skill come with practice. Just as hair falls away effortlessly during the act of shaving, ideas and words flow more freely once you actually start the process of speaking or working. It is often used to encourage someone to start a task rather than overthinking it.

While the dog that ate the food ran away, they tied up the dog that saw it happen.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where the actual culprit or wrongdoer escapes, and an innocent bystander or a witness is unfairly blamed or punished for the deed. It highlights a failure of justice or a mistake in identifying the true offender.

Like a louse appearing when a nit is removed

This expression is used to describe a situation where one problem leads to another, or when investigating a small issue reveals a much larger, more difficult problem. It is similar to the English concept of 'opening a can of worms' or 'pulling a thread' only to find a bigger mess.

[ The monkey ] may either kill the louse, or bite off the ear.

This expression is used to describe an unpredictable person who oscillates between extremes—someone who can be insignificantly helpful or harmlessly quiet one moment, and then suddenly do something aggressive, harmful, or unexpected the next. It highlights a volatile or inconsistent personality.

When the dog which had eaten [ the food ] ran off, he caught hold of another dog and broke its leg. Making the innocent suffer for the guilty.

This proverb describes a situation where the actual culprit escapes, and an innocent person who happens to be nearby is punished for the crime. It is used to highlight injustice or a lapse in judgement where the wrong person is held accountable for someone else's mistake.

An ear with a palmyra leaf in it is better than a bare ear.

Something is better than nothing. It is used to suggest that having a small or humble possession/alternative is preferable to having nothing at all, similar to the English proverb 'Half a loaf is better than no bread.'

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Nothing can bite a dog that turns back to face it.

This proverb emphasizes that when you stand your ground and face a problem or an enemy bravely, they lose their power to harm you. It is used to encourage courage and resilience in the face of adversity, suggesting that fear attracts more trouble while confrontation can end it.

Even a herbivore will bite a dog that has lost its teeth.

This proverb describes how a person who has lost their power, influence, or strength will be intimidated or harassed even by those who are much weaker or whom they once dominated. It is used to highlight how circumstances can change one's status and invite disrespect from unlikely sources.