తల్లీ బిడ్డా ఒకటయినా, నోరు కడుపు వేరు

talli bidda okatayina, noru kadupu veru

Translation

Even if mother and child are one, the mouth and stomach are separate.

Meaning

This expression highlights individual needs and self-interest. It means that despite the closest of bonds or biological connections, every person must satisfy their own hunger and look after their own basic physical requirements. In a broader sense, it is used to say that when it comes to personal survival or individual benefits, everyone stands alone.

Related Phrases

A field without a fence and a child without a mother are the same.

This proverb highlights the importance of protection and care. Just as a crop field without a fence is vulnerable to being destroyed by animals or intruders, a child without a mother lacks the primary source of protection, guidance, and nurturing needed to thrive safely in the world.

While the child is still in the womb, the son is named Sômalingam.

This proverb describes a situation where someone makes plans or celebrates an outcome before it has actually happened or before the necessary conditions are met. It is similar to the English expression 'Counting your chickens before they hatch.' It is used to caution against over-anticipation or premature planning.

Boil not the pap before the child is born. * Tre lo sanno, tutti lo sanno. † Secret de deux, secret de Dieu; secret de trois, secret de tous.

Although the mother and child are one, the mouth and belly are separate. Two men may be great friends, still their wants must be separately pro- vided for.

This proverb emphasizes individuality and self-interest. It means that despite the closest of human bonds (like a mother and child), every person has their own physical needs, hunger, and personal destiny. It is often used to suggest that even in intimate relationships, people must eventually look after themselves or that one's internal feelings and needs cannot be fully shared by another.

For the son's child and the daughter's child, the grandfather is the same.

This proverb is used to emphasize impartiality and equality in family relationships. It points out that a grandfather shares the same biological bond with all his grandchildren, regardless of whether they are born to his son or his daughter, suggesting that one should not show favoritism based on lineage.

Even a ruler's daughter must be someone's wife.

This proverb highlights the traditional social reality that regardless of a woman's high birth, status, or wealth, she eventually leaves her parental home to become a wife. It is often used to signify that certain life transitions or social roles are universal and inevitable, regardless of one's background.

As long as you have saplings, water, and speech, it is the same no matter which kingdom you are in.

This proverb emphasizes self-sufficiency and communication skills. It suggests that if a person has the means to farm (saplings and water) and the ability to speak effectively (to negotiate or stand up for themselves), they can survive and thrive anywhere in the world regardless of the political environment or location.

The baby in the pit and the baby in the womb.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is taking care of or worrying about two critical things at once, typically referring to the heavy burden of responsibility or the multitasking required in parenting and household management. It can also imply a state of continuous struggle or being overwhelmed by multiple life demands.

If you shut up her mouth she remains like a dumb woman, if you let her open her mouth she's a vixen.

This expression is used to describe a person who seems decent or tolerable as long as they stay quiet, but as soon as they start speaking, they reveal their unpleasant nature, lack of sense, or rude behavior. It emphasizes that for some people, silence is their only redeeming quality.

Milch cattle and a small infant are one and the same.

This expression emphasizes that domestic animals (livestock) and infants require the same level of constant care, patience, and attention. Just as a baby cannot express its needs in words, animals also depend entirely on their caretaker for food, comfort, and health, making the responsibility of looking after them equally delicate.

A child seen with one's eyes is greater than a child born from the womb.

This proverb emphasizes that nurturing, seeing, and taking care of a child with one's own eyes is more significant than the mere biological act of giving birth. It is often used to highlight the value of adoption, foster care, or the bond formed through upbringing over biological ties.