పెట్టిందంతా పేరూ కాదు, పుట్టిన వాళ్ళంతా బిడ్డలూ కారు
pettindanta peru kadu, puttina vallanta biddalu karu
Not everything served is a feast, and not all who are born are true children.
This proverb highlights that quality and character matter more than mere existence or quantity. Just as every meal served isn't necessarily grand or nourishing, not every offspring fulfills the duties or brings honor to the family. It is used to express disappointment when someone or something fails to live up to the expected standard or moral value.
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'.
నల్లనివన్నీ నీళ్ళు కావు, తెల్లనివన్నీ పాలు కావు
nallanivanni nillu kavu, tellanivanni palu kavu
Not everything black is water, and not everything white is milk.
This proverb is used as a warning to not judge anything based solely on its outward appearance. Just because something looks familiar or pure (like milk) doesn't mean it is. It emphasizes that reality can be different from superficial perception, advising people to be cautious and look deeper before forming a judgment.
వడ్డంతా పైరుకాదు, కడుపులన్నీ కాన్పులుగావు.
vaddanta pairukadu, kadupulanni kanpulugavu.
Not all greenery is a crop, and not every pregnancy results in a birth.
This proverb is used to convey that appearances can be deceptive and that potential does not always lead to a successful outcome. Just as a lush green field might just be weeds rather than a harvestable crop, every effort or beginning does not necessarily guarantee a final result.
సద్దంత ఊరగాయ, ఇల్లంత పందిరి, తల్లంత పెళ్ళాం
saddanta uragaya, illanta pandiri, tallanta pellam
Pickle the size of a grain, a canopy as big as the house, and a wife as big as a mother.
This proverb is used to describe things that are disproportionate, mismatched, or absurdly scaled. It mocks situations where the priorities are misplaced or where the dimensions of things do not fit their intended purpose or natural order.
ఎద్దు ఎక్కిన తీరుకాదు, సద్ది తిన్న నోరుకాదు.
eddu ekkina tirukadu, saddi tinna norukadu.
Neither like a person who has mounted an ox, nor like a mouth that has eaten curd rice.
This proverb is used to describe someone who lacks discipline, grace, or consistency in their actions. It refers to a person whose behavior is neither dignified (like a proper rider) nor satisfied/content (like someone who has had a good meal), indicating a state of being unrefined or chaotic.
పెట్టిన దానికి పుట్టిందే సాక్షి
pettina daniki puttinde sakshi
The one who is born is the witness to what was given.
This proverb is used to say that the results or outcomes are the best evidence of the efforts or causes that preceded them. Just as a child's characteristics or very existence serves as proof of the parents' union and care, any final product serves as a testament to the quality of the work or resources put into it.
లంకలో పుట్టిన వాళ్ళంతా రాక్షసులే.
lankalo puttina vallanta rakshasule.
Everyone born in Lanka is a demon.
This expression is used to generalize that everyone belonging to a certain group, family, or place is inherently bad or malicious. It is often used when one encounters a series of people from the same background who all behave poorly, leading to the cynical conclusion that the entire group is the same.
పుట్టిన వానికి తమ్ముడు, పుట్టే వానికి అన్న
puttina vaniki tammudu, putte vaniki anna
The younger brother of him who is born, the elder brother of him who is about to be born. Said jokingly of a dwarf.
This proverb describes someone who is in a middle position or a mediator. It refers to a person who has experienced both sides of a situation, making them versatile or uniquely positioned between two generations or two different states of being.
నల్లచీర కట్టిన వాళ్ళంతా నా పెళ్ళాలే అన్నట్లు.
nallachira kattina vallanta na pellale annatlu.
Like saying every woman wearing a black saree is my wife.
This expression is used to describe a person who is overly optimistic, foolishly assumes ownership or authority over things that don't belong to them, or makes broad, illogical generalizations based on a single commonality.
కింద పెట్టిన పంటలుండవు, పైన కురిసే వానలుండవు
kinda pettina pantalundavu, paina kurise vanalundavu
The crops planted below do not remain, and the rains from above do not fall.
This proverb is used to describe a state of extreme distress, hopelessness, or a complete failure of systems. It originally refers to agricultural drought where neither the soil yields crops nor the sky yields rain, signifying a total lack of resources or support from any direction.