పల్నాటిలో పోకకు పుట్టెడు అమ్మితే, ఆ పోకా దొరకక పొర్లి పొర్లీ ఏడ్చినదట
palnatilo pokaku puttedu ammite, a poka dorakaka porli porli edchinadata
When a Puṭṭi of grain was sold in Pôlnâḍu for an areca nut, she rolled herself on the ground and cried, for she could not even get that. Very unfortunate.
This proverb describes a situation of extreme scarcity or hyperinflation where even when one is willing to pay an exorbitant price, the desired object is simply unavailable. It is used to highlight the futility of having resources when the supply of essentials has completely vanished.
*Ubi amiti, ibi opes.
Related Phrases
వెన్ను ముదిరి పొర్లిన గొడ్డు ఎక్కువ పాలిస్తుంది
vennu mudiri porlina goddu ekkuva palistundi
The cattle whose back has matured and rolled over provides more milk.
This proverb highlights that experience and maturity lead to better productivity. Just as an older, physically mature cow is expected to yield more milk, a person with more experience and age often possesses greater wisdom, skill, and capability in their field.
ఉప్పువాడు ఏడిశాడు పప్పువాడు ఏడిశాడు, బొండాపు కాయల వాడు పొర్లి పొర్లి ఏడిశాడు.
uppuvadu edishadu pappuvadu edishadu, bondapu kayala vadu porli porli edishadu.
The salt seller cried, the lentil seller cried, but the palmyra fruit seller rolled on the ground and cried.
This is a traditional Telugu nursery rhyme or a humorous saying used to describe a situation where everyone is mourning or facing a loss, but one specific person's grief or loss is disproportionately larger or more dramatic than the others. It is often used to highlight exaggerated reactions or to point out someone who is suffering the most in a collective misfortune.
అడకత్తులో పోక
adakattulo poka
Like a nut in the nippers. Adakattu are nippers used for breaking Areca nuts. To be between the hammer and the anvil. (Franch.)
This expression is used to describe a person who is stuck in a difficult or tight situation, caught between two opposing forces with no way to escape. It is similar to the English idiom 'Between a rock and a hard place.'
ఉప్పోడు పప్పోడు ఊరకుంటే, టెంకాయలవాడు పొర్లి పొర్లి పడ్డాడంట.
uppodu pappodu urakunte, tenkayalavadu porli porli paddadanta.
While the salt seller and dal seller remained calm, the coconut seller rolled over and over (in distress).
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the primary stakeholders or the people most affected remain calm, while an outsider or someone with minimal involvement reacts with unnecessary drama or over-excitability. It highlights misplaced concern or exaggerated reactions by those who are not central to the issue.
రాక రాక అంటే పోకే పోకే అందట.
raka raka ante poke poke andata.
When one said 'You have finally come after a long time', the other replied 'Then I shall never leave'.
This proverb is used to describe an unwelcome guest or a situation where a rare visit turns into an overstay. It highlights the irony of being overly hospitable to someone who then takes undue advantage of the invitation, making it difficult to get them to leave.
నూనె పోగొట్టుకొన్నవాడూ ఏడ్చినాడు, బొండాపకాయల వాడూ పొర్లి పొర్లి ఏడ్చినాడు.
nune pogottukonnavadu edchinadu, bondapakayala vadu porli porli edchinadu.
The man who lost the oil cried, and the cocoanut man cried bitterly. A bullock laden with pots of oil belonging to one man and unpeeled cocoanuts belonging to another rolled over. The pots broke, but the cocoanuts were none the worse. The first man cried quietly, but the second was loud in his lamentations. Making a fuss about nothing.
This proverb describes a situation where someone with a minor or insignificant loss (or no loss at all) makes a much bigger scene than the person who suffered a genuine, significant loss. It is used to mock those who overreact or feign distress for attention when they have little at stake compared to others.
వెంటరావద్దంటే, ఎత్తుకొమ్మని ఏడ్చాడట
ventaravaddante, ettukommani edchadata
When [ a child ] was told not to follow, it asked to be carried.
This proverb is used to describe a person who, when given a simple instruction or boundary, makes even more demanding and unreasonable requests. It highlights stubbornness or the tendency of someone to take undue advantage of a situation when they are already being a nuisance.
Asking much when denied a little. 44 ( 345 )
ఆకుకు అందక, పోకకు పొందక
akuku andaka, pokaku pondaka
Neither reaching the leaf, nor matching the nut
This expression describes a state of being useless or fitting nowhere. It is used when something or someone fails to meet any criteria or serve any purpose in a given situation, similar to being 'neither here nor there'. It specifically refers to the preparation of a betel leaf (paan), where an ingredient fits neither the leaf nor the areca nut.
పాత దొంగ దొరకకపోడు
pata donga dorakakapodu
An old thief cannot avoid being caught forever.
This proverb suggests that no matter how experienced or clever a person is at committing wrongful acts, they will eventually be caught or their secrets will be exposed. It is used to imply that one's past misdeeds or habitual dishonesty will inevitably catch up with them.
పొర్లించి పొర్లించి కొట్టినా, మీసాలకు మన్ను తగల్లేదు అన్నట్టు
porlinchi porlinchi kottina, misalaku mannu tagalledu annattu
When he was being rolled over and over and beaten, he said that earth had not stuck to his mustaches. Said by a defeated coward.
This expression describes a person who refuses to admit defeat or accept their mistake despite being completely proven wrong or defeated. It refers to someone who maintains a false sense of pride or makes excuses to save face even in an obviously humiliating or losing situation.