పొట్టివాడికి పుట్టెడు బుద్ధులు

pottivadiki puttedu buddhulu

Translation

A short person has a basketful of brains/wisdom.

Meaning

This is a popular Telugu saying used to suggest that what a person lacks in physical stature, they make up for with extreme cleverness, wit, or cunning. It is often used playfully or as a cautionary remark about not underestimating someone based on their small height.

Related Phrases

A basketful of wisdom while listening to the Puranas, but wild/uncivilized behavior once stepped away.

This proverb describes a person's hypocrisy or fickle nature. It refers to someone who appears very pious and moral while listening to religious discourses or moral advice, but immediately reverts to their old, bad habits once they leave the environment. It is used to criticize those who do not practice what they hear or preach.

A short person has a basketful of brains.

This proverb is used to suggest that what a person lacks in physical stature or height, they often make up for with extreme cleverness, wit, or cunningness. It implies that short people are exceptionally sharp-minded.

A short man has a Putti of wisdom.

This is a popular Telugu saying used to imply that short-statured people are exceptionally clever, cunning, or resourceful. The term 'Puttadu' refers to a large traditional measuring unit, suggesting that their intelligence is disproportionately large compared to their height.

Just because one wears sacred marks, will their wicked nature disappear?

This expression is used to highlight that external appearances, religious symbols, or a change in attire do not change a person's inherent character or malicious intent. It is often used to criticize hypocrites who pretend to be virtuous while remaining deceptive or cruel at heart.

A hill chili is extra spicy; a short man is extra clever.

This proverb suggests that physical size is not an indicator of capability or intelligence. Just as a small hill chili (bird's eye chili) can be much hotter than a large one, a person of short stature is often perceived to be exceptionally sharp-witted, cunning, or resourceful to compensate for their size. It is used to caution others not to underestimate someone based on their physical appearance.

The one who has an ox lacks intelligence, and the one who has intelligence lacks an ox.

This proverb describes a situational irony where one person possesses the physical resources or tools but lacks the wisdom to use them, while another person has the knowledge but lacks the necessary resources. It is used to highlight the mismatch between ability and opportunity.

The shepherd's nap and a child's kisses.

This proverb refers to things that are brief and short-lived. A shepherd's sleep is interrupted by the flock, just as a child's kiss is fleeting. It is used to describe tasks or moments that do not last long.

Bad thoughts come during bad times.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person starts making poor decisions or loses their sense of judgment when they are facing a period of misfortune or ruin. It suggests that one's intellect or character often declines when their downfall is near.

Bad thoughts/ideas for bad times

This expression is used to describe a situation where a person starts making poor decisions or thinking negatively when they are going through a bad phase or facing a downfall. It suggests that one's intellect often fails or misleads them when their fortune is at its lowest.

No matter how many times it is purified in fire, brass remains brass and gold remains gold.

This expression is used to convey that the inherent nature or character of a person or object cannot be changed by external processes or superficial treatments. Just as intense heat cannot turn a base metal like brass into gold, artificial efforts cannot change a person's fundamental traits or true value.