పుండుకు పుల్ల మొగుడు
punduku pulla mogudu
A stick is the husband to a sore
This expression refers to a situation where a harsh or severe remedy is required for a difficult problem. Just as a stick causes sharp pain when it touches a wound, a strict or tough person is sometimes needed to manage or control a troublesome individual or situation.
Related Phrases
ఏడ్చేదాని మొగుడు వస్తే, నా మొగుడూ వస్తాడు
edchedani mogudu vaste, na mogudu vastadu
If the crying woman's husband returns, my husband will return too.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone waits for others to act or succeed before taking initiative themselves, or a situation where one's fate is tied to the general outcome of a group. It is often used to mock someone who lacks independent drive and simply follows the crowd's luck or progress.
ఆరెపుల్లకు పూరిపుల్ల తోడు
arepullaku puripulla todu
A dry twig supported by a blade of grass.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone who is already weak or in a precarious position receives help from someone who is equally weak or insignificant. It highlights that the assistance provided is trivial or insufficient to make a real difference, often used in a sarcastic or self-deprecating context.
ఏడిచేదాని మొగుడు వస్తే, నా మొగుడూ వస్తాడు
edichedani mogudu vaste, na mogudu vastadu
If the weeping widow's husband returns, mine will come also. Stolid indifference. Want of feeling.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone's own success or progress is entirely dependent on another person's outcome. It reflects a state of helplessness or a wait-and-see approach, implying 'if it can happen for them, it will eventually happen for me too.'
మగపిల్లాడు బంగారు పుల్ల
magapilladu bangaru pulla
A male child is a golden twig.
This traditional expression reflects the deep-rooted cultural preference for male children in certain societies, suggesting that a son is as precious and valuable as a piece of gold. It is often used to emphasize the importance of a male heir in a family lineage.
ఇంటి మొగుడు మట్టిగబ్బు, పొరుగింటి మొగుడు పూలవాసన
inti mogudu mattigabbu, poruginti mogudu pulavasana
Own husband smells like mud, neighbor's husband smells like flowers.
This proverb is used to describe the human tendency to undervalue what one already possesses while overestimating the value or quality of what others have. It is similar to the English expression 'The grass is always greener on the other side.'
మొండిచేతుల పెండ్లానికి మోకాళ్ళ మొగుడు
mondichetula pendlaniki mokalla mogudu
For a wife with stump hands, a husband with stump knees.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where two people who are equally stubborn, incompetent, or flawed are paired together. It suggests that for every difficult or peculiar person, there is an equally matching counterpart, often implying that they deserve each other or that their flaws cancel each other out in a humorous or cynical way.
దశకొద్దీ దొరికాడు పుసికళ్ళ మొగుడు
dashakoddi dorikadu pusikalla mogudu
According to my fate, I got a husband with rheumy eyes.
This proverb is used to express disappointment when one's luck or karma leads to a result that is far below expectations. It describes a situation where despite waiting or hoping for something good, one ends up with something mediocre or flawed due to their own misfortune.
నన్నమ్మకు మొగుడు, తిమ్మన్న తల్లికి మొగుడు.
nannammaku mogudu, timmanna talliki mogudu.
A husband to Nannamma, and a husband to Timmanna's mother.
This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely clever, cunning, or a 'know-it-all' who thinks they can outsmart anyone. It refers to a person who claims superiority over those who are already considered experts or authorities in a particular field, often used in a sarcastic tone to highlight someone's overconfidence or manipulative nature.
పుండున్న వ్రేలికే పుల్ల తగులుతుంది
pundunna vrelike pulla tagulutundi
A stick always hits the finger that is already wounded.
This proverb describes a streak of bad luck where problems seem to target those who are already suffering. It is used when a person who is already in a difficult situation faces even more setbacks or when an existing weakness is repeatedly exposed to further damage.
ఇద్దరు పెళ్ళాల మొగుడు
iddaru pellala mogudu
A husband of two wives
This expression refers to a person caught between two conflicting parties or demands, making it impossible to satisfy both. It is often used to describe someone in a dilemma, facing constant complaints or pressure from two different sides simultaneously.