ముక్కు మూస్తే ప్రాణం పోతుంది

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone with very limited resources or a small status makes a huge, unnecessary commotion or puts on grand airs. It highlights the irony of having a 'tiny house' (low capacity) but 'loud drums' (excessive noise or ego).

This proverb is used to describe a person who is very eager and cooperative when there is a benefit or reward (like food) but becomes resistant or difficult when it is time to work or be disciplined (like putting on a horse's bridle). It highlights opportunistic or lazy behavior.

This proverb describes a person who is eager and greedy for small, immediate benefits (represented by a handful of boiled snacks/guggillu) but remains silent or fails to act when there is an opportunity for a much larger gain (represented by the entire harvest at the threshing floor/kallam). It is used to mock someone who lacks a sense of proportion or fails to recognize where the real profit lies.

Describes a situation where someone is trapped in a dilemma or a mess created by their own greed or desire. Just as a fly attracted to the sweetness of honey gets stuck and cannot escape, it refers to getting hopelessly entangled in a situation that initially seemed attractive.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone performs a task that is vastly different in scale or nature from what was actually requested, usually due to a lack of understanding or excessive, misdirected effort. It highlights the mismatch between the instruction and the execution.

This proverb describes a situation of false economy or poor management. It refers to someone who is overly cautious about trivial, small losses (the holes) while being completely negligent about massive, significant losses (the sluices/floodgates). It is similar to the English expression 'Penny wise and pound foolish'.

This expression is used to describe a person or a thing that is completely useless or ineffective. It suggests that the presence or absence of certain actions/tools doesn't matter when the core functionality is missing. It is often used to refer to someone who is indifferent to what is happening around them or an effort that yields no result regardless of the approach.

This expression describes a person who is stuck in a difficult situation because of their own greed or excessive desire for something. Just as a fly gets trapped in the very honey it wanted to eat, it refers to being unable to escape a predicament that initially seemed attractive or pleasurable.

This expression is used to describe a situation where people are hopelessly trapped or stuck in a difficult problem with no easy way to escape. Just as flies get their wings snagged in thorny branches and struggle to get out, it signifies being entangled in a complex or messy predicament.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person possesses resources or tools but lacks the ability or knowledge to use them effectively. Just as large eyes are useless if they cannot see, great assets are pointless if one lacks the wisdom to utilize them. It highlights that quality and functionality are more important than size or appearance.