తగవు ఎట్లా వస్తుంది జంగందేవరా అంటే, బిచ్చం పెట్టవే బొచ్చు ముండా అన్నాడట
tagavu etla vastundi jangandevara ante, bichcham pettave bochchu munda annadata
When asked how a quarrel starts, the priest replied, 'Give me alms, you bald widow!'
This proverb describes a situation where someone intentionally initiates a conflict by being unnecessarily rude or provocative. It is used when a person deliberately uses offensive language to spark a fight, even when there is no prior reason for an argument.
Related Phrases
కండెవంటి బిడ్డ అమ్మా అంటే కండెతెచ్చి పెట్టమని పడ్డాడట.
kandevanti bidda amma ante kandetechchi pettamani paddadata.
When someone said the child is as soft as a spindle of thread, the child started crying demanding that they be given the actual spindle.
This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely literal-minded or childishly stubborn. It refers to a situation where a compliment or a metaphor is taken literally, leading to unnecessary demands or a fuss. It mocks the lack of common sense or the tendency to misinterpret figurative speech.
ఏకదంతుండిచ్చు నీకింత బొచ్చు
ekadantundichchu nikinta bochchu
The single-tusked one (Ganesha) gives you this much hair.
This is a humorous and sarcastic expression used to describe a situation where someone expects a grand reward or divine intervention but receives something trivial, worthless, or disappointing. It is often used to mock someone's meager offerings or the insignificant results of a supposedly great effort.
కోళ్ళను తింటారా అంటే, బొచ్చు పారేస్తాము అన్నట్లు
kollanu tintara ante, bochchu parestamu annatlu
When asked if they eat chickens, they replied saying they throw away the feathers.
This expression describes a situation where someone gives an evasive or indirect answer to hide an obvious truth. It is used when a person tries to appear innocent or avoids a direct 'yes' by focusing on a trivial secondary detail that implies the 'yes' anyway.
దాసరివా జంగమవా అంటే, ముందరి వూరికొద్దీ అన్నాడట
dasariva jangamava ante, mundari vurikoddi annadata
When a mendicant was asked whether he was a Dâsari or a Jangam (i. e. a follower of Vishnu or Śiva) he replied "Oh that depends on the next village!" A time server.
This proverb describes a person who has no fixed principles and changes their identity or stance based on convenience or personal gain. It refers to an opportunist who waits to see what will be most beneficial in a given situation before committing to a side.
అపశబ్దాలు ఏమిటోయ్ అంటే మచ్చాలు దినేనోట స్వచ్ఛాలు ఎట్లా వస్తవిలేండి అన్నాడట
apashabdalu emitoy ante machchalu dinenota svachchhalu etla vastavilendi annadata
When asked 'What are these mispronunciations?', he replied 'How can pure words come from a mouth that eats fish?'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes excuses for their lack of refinement, skill, or improper speech by blaming their habits or circumstances. It highlights a humorous or sarcastic justification for one's own flaws.
ఆకలి వేస్తోంది అత్తగారా అంటే, రోకలి మింగవే కోడలా అన్నదట.
akali vestondi attagara ante, rokali mingave kodala annadata.
When the daughter-in-law said she was hungry, her mother- in-law told her to swallow the pestle.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone asks for a basic necessity or a small favor and receives a cruel, impossible, or mocking response instead of help. It highlights the lack of empathy or the hostile relationship between two people, often used to critique someone who gives heartless advice.
Rōkali is a wooden pestle, five or six feet long, used for pounding rice.
చెట్టు ముందా విత్తు ముందా అన్నట్లు
chettu munda vittu munda annatlu
Like asking whether the tree came first or the seed first.
This expression is used to describe a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma or a circular argument where it is impossible to determine which of two related things happened or existed first. It is often applied to situations involving infinite regress or complex causal loops.
జగడమెట్లా వస్తుంది లింగమయ్యా అంటే, బిచ్చంపెట్టవే బొచ్చుముండా అన్నాడట.
jagadametla vastundi lingamayya ante, bichchampettave bochchumunda annadata.
When asked 'How do fights start, Lingamayya?', he replied 'Give me alms, you bald widow!'
This proverb is used to describe a person who intentionally provokes a conflict or starts a fight for no reason. It highlights how someone can turn a normal situation into an argument by using offensive or insulting language unnecessarily.
జగడమెట్లా వస్తాది జంగం దేవరా అంటే, బిచ్చం పెట్టవే బొచ్చు ముండా అన్నాట్ట
jagadametla vastadi jangam devara ante, bichcham pettave bochchu munda annatta
When asked 'How do quarrels start, O holy man?', he replied 'Give me alms, you bald widow!'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone deliberately provokes a conflict or starts an argument unnecessarily. It highlights how a person can turn a peaceful inquiry or a normal interaction into a fight by using offensive language or being intentionally rude.
అధికారం ఆరుపాళ్ళయితే, బొచ్చు మూడుపాళ్ళు
adhikaram arupallayite, bochchu mudupallu
If power is six parts, the hair (insult/nothingness) is three parts.
This proverb is used to mock someone who boasts about having great authority but possesses very little actual substance or wealth. It implies that despite the high position or show of power, the actual benefits or personal worth are meager and disproportionate.