పిన్న చేతి దివ్వె పెద్దగా వెలగదా?
pinna cheti divve peddaga velagada?
Does a lamp in a child's hand not shine brightly?
This expression emphasizes that wisdom or talent is not restricted by age or stature. Just as a small lamp provides the same light regardless of who holds it, a great idea or truth is valuable even if it comes from a young or inexperienced person. It is used to suggest that one should value the quality of the work or thought rather than the seniority of the person behind it.
Related Phrases
అందినవారికి మిన్ను అరచేతిదే.
andinavariki minnu arachetide.
For those who can reach it, the sky is in their palm.
This proverb describes people who, upon achieving success or gaining power, become overly confident or arrogant. It implies that for someone who has reached high heights, even the vast sky (ambition/power) seems small and easily manageable within their grasp. It is often used to critique those who underestimate challenges or act superior after a small success.
చిన్న నోటికి పెద్ద మాట
chinna notiki pedda mata
Big words for a small mouth
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone (often a younger person or someone in a subordinate position) speaks in a manner that is overly ambitious, arrogant, or beyond their age and status. It is often used as a mild rebuke or a way to highlight that someone is talking beyond their experience or authority.
ఆ వేలుకు, ఇంకొక వేలుకు ఎడం
a veluku, inkoka veluku edam
The distance between that finger and this finger.
This expression is used to describe a very subtle, marginal, or slight difference between two things. It suggests that while there is a gap, it is relatively small or nearly indistinguishable.
ఆరిపోయే దీపానికి వెలుగు ఎక్కువ
aripoye dipaniki velugu ekkuva
A lamp that is about to go out shines the brightest.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone or something shows a sudden, intense burst of activity, energy, or arrogance just before their downfall, failure, or end. It is a warning that a final flare-up of power often precedes total extinction.
దినవెచ్చం దివిటీ వెలుగు - పూటబత్తెం పుల్ల వెలుగు
dinavechcham diviti velugu - putabattem pulla velugu
Daily allowance is like torchlight - a meal's ration is like a stick's flame.
This proverb describes the fleeting nature of income and sustenance. It suggests that a full day's earnings provide a strong, steady light (security), whereas living hand-to-mouth (a single meal's worth) offers only a weak, temporary flicker. It is used to contrast stable financial planning with precarious, short-term survival.
దివ్వె తీసిన గూడు వలె ఉన్నది
divve tisina gudu vale unnadi
Like a niche with the lamp taken out of it. The reality wanting.
This expression is used to describe a place or a person that looks dull, empty, or devoid of life and charm. Just as a wall niche looks dark and hollow once the lamp is taken away, it characterizes a state of desolation or the loss of a person who was the 'light' of a home or group.
చిన్నత్త చిన్న పిశాచి, పెద్దత్త పెద్ద పిశాచి
chinnatta chinna pishachi, peddatta pedda pishachi
Younger mother-in-law is a small ghost, elder mother-in-law is a big ghost.
This proverb is used to describe a difficult situation where both available options or people are troublesome, regardless of their status or seniority. It specifically highlights the common domestic trope of friction with mothers-in-law (or aunts), suggesting that both are equally difficult to deal with, differing only in the scale of their nuisance.
ఎంత వెలుగుకు అంత చీకటి
enta veluguku anta chikati
For as much light, there is that much darkness.
This expression is used to convey that every great success or positive situation often comes with an equivalent amount of hidden struggle, failure, or negative aspects. It emphasizes the balance between prosperity and adversity.
ఈ వేలుకు ఆ వేలు ఎడం.
i veluku a velu edam.
There is a distance between this finger and that finger.
This expression is used to describe a lack of unity, harmony, or consensus between people, especially among family members or close associates. It signifies that even though individuals are close (like fingers on a hand), they remain divided or disconnected in their thoughts and actions.
పెద్దతల లేకుంటే పెద్దరికం చాలదు
peddatala lekunte peddarikam chaladu
If there is no elderly head, the status of elderliness is insufficient.
This proverb emphasizes the importance of having an experienced or wise person at the helm. It suggests that without a wise leader (a big head) to guide and make decisions, simply holding a position of authority or seniority (elderliness) is not enough to manage a family or a group effectively.