రుచీపచీలేని కూర కంచానికి చేటు, అందం చందంలేని పెళ్ళాం మంచానికి చేటు
ruchipachileni kura kanchaniki chetu, andam chandamleni pellam manchaniki chetu
Curry without taste is a waste to the plate; a wife without beauty or charm is a waste to the bed.
This is a traditional proverb used to express that things lacking their essential quality or purpose are a burden or a waste. Just as tasteless food makes the act of eating from a plate useless, a marriage lacking attraction or compatibility is seen as dysfunctional in this archaic context. It is often used to emphasize that functionality and quality are vital for value.
Related Phrases
కంచానికి ఒక్కడు, మంచానికి ఇద్దరు
kanchaniki okkadu, manchaniki iddaru
One for the plate, two for the bed.
This proverb describes a person who is extremely lazy and dependent. They are ready to eat alone (selfish/greedy) but need someone else's help even to move or get up from the bed. It is used to mock people who are active when it comes to consuming resources but become 'weak' or 'disabled' when it is time to work.
ఇల్లిటపుటల్లుడు ఇంటికి చేటు, కొమ్ముల బర్రె కొట్టానికి చేటు
illitaputalludu intiki chetu, kommula barre kottaniki chetu
A live-in son-in-law is a threat to the house; a horned buffalo is a threat to the shed.
This proverb highlights how certain inclusions can be disruptive to an established system. It suggests that a son-in-law living permanently with his in-laws (Illarikam) can lead to domestic conflicts and power struggles within the family, much like a horned buffalo might accidentally or intentionally damage the cattle shed or hurt other animals.
ఒక కంచాన తిని ఒక మంచాన పడుకునేవారు
oka kanchana tini oka manchana padukunevaru
Those who eat from the same plate and sleep on the same bed.
This expression is used to describe an extremely close, intimate, and inseparable relationship between people (usually friends or family). It signifies a bond characterized by total trust and shared lives.
ఇగురుపండ్లవాడు ఇంటికిచేటు, పంగలబట్టి పందిరికిచేటు
igurupandlavadu intikichetu, pangalabatti pandirikichetu
The one with protruding gums is a curse to the house, and a forked stick is a curse to the pandal.
This is a traditional proverb used to describe individuals or objects that are inherently unsuitable or bring bad luck/ruin to their surroundings. It suggests that just as a weak forked stick cannot properly support a shed (pandal) and leads to its collapse, a person with specific negative traits (metaphorically described here as protruding gums) is seen as a harbinger of misfortune for the family.
సందడిలేని పండగ, తాళంలేని సంగీతం
sandadileni pandaga, talamleni sangitam
A festival without bustle is like music without rhythm.
This expression is used to describe a situation that lacks its essential characteristic or spark. Just as a festival feels incomplete without joy and crowds, and music is chaotic without a beat, an event or person lacking their core quality is considered dull and meaningless.
ఒక కంచాన తిని ఒక మంచాన పడుకునేవారు
oka kanchana tini oka manchana padukunevaru
They eat of one dish and sleep on one bed.
This expression describes people who share an extremely close, intimate, and inseparable bond or friendship. It is often used to highlight the deep camaraderie and mutual trust between individuals who do everything together.
Extreme intimacy. They are hand and glove.
నల్లిని కొట్టి మంచానికి చేటు.
nallini kotti manchaniki chetu.
Beating a bedstead on account of the bugs.
This proverb describes a situation where the remedy is worse than the problem. It is used when someone's attempt to fix a small issue causes significant or disproportionate damage to the larger object or system.
ఉల్లిలేని కూర, పప్పులేని పెళ్ళి.
ullileni kura, pappuleni pelli.
Curry without onion is like a wedding without dal.
This proverb is used to describe something that is incomplete or lacks a fundamental ingredient. In Telugu cuisine and culture, onions are essential for taste in curries, and serving dal is a basic requirement for a wedding feast. It highlights that certain elements are indispensable for an experience or task to be satisfactory.
అందచందాలు లేని మొగుడు మంచంనిండా ఉన్నట్టు.
andachandalu leni mogudu manchamninda unnattu.
A husband without any looks or charm feels like he is occupying the whole bed.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone or something that lacks value or appeal feels like an overwhelming burden. It highlights how defects or undesirable qualities in a person make their presence feel more intrusive or annoying than it would otherwise be.
పొడుగు గాలికి చేటు, పొట్టి నీటికి చేటు
podugu galiki chetu, potti nitiki chetu
Tall is vulnerable to wind, short is vulnerable to water
This proverb highlights that every physical trait has its own disadvantage depending on the situation. Just as a tall tree or person is more likely to be affected by strong winds (or storms), a short person or object is more likely to be submerged or affected by rising waters (or floods). It is used to suggest that no one is perfectly safe or superior in all circumstances.