తవుడు తింటూ ఒయ్యారమా?

tavudu tintu oyyarama?

Translation

Eating bran while acting elegant?

Meaning

This proverb is used to mock someone who lives in poverty or lacks basic necessities but puts on an act of being wealthy, sophisticated, or overly stylish. It highlights the contrast between their actual humble reality (eating rice bran) and their pretentious behavior (elegance/pride).

Related Phrases

When they call out "Deaf man! Deaf man!" he answers "[ I've got ] Bran, Bran!"

This proverb is used to describe a complete lack of communication or a situation where two people are talking about entirely different things. It refers to a person who misunderstands what is being said due to a lack of attention or hearing, responding with something totally irrelevant. It is used in situations where there is no sync between a question and an answer.

The jingle of the Telugu words is similar to that of the English equivalents.

When one person says 'deafness, deafness', the other person says 'bran, bran'

This expression describes a situation where two people are talking at cross-purposes or failing to communicate effectively due to a misunderstanding or a lack of attention. It is used when one person's words are completely misinterpreted by another, leading to a nonsensical or irrelevant response, much like a deaf person mishearing a word and replying with something that sounds similar but has a different meaning.

He who gives poison to a person who is already dying by eating bran is a fool.

This expression is used to describe a redundant or unnecessary action. If someone is already facing ruin due to their own poor choices or circumstances, there is no need to actively work against them or waste resources to cause their downfall. It highlights the foolishness of over-exerting oneself to harm someone who is already self-destructing.

Age has passed, but the gracefulness has not.

This proverb is used to describe someone who continues to maintain their stylishness, vanity, or flirtatious behavior even as they grow old. It is often used in a slightly mocking or sarcastic way to suggest that someone's behavior no longer suits their age, or more literally, to remark that someone has aged but still retains their charm.

The bird that eats stones will eat stones, and the bird that eats gems will eat gems.

This expression refers to the inherent nature and destiny of individuals based on their character and surroundings. It signifies that people will gravitate towards things that match their worth, status, or habits. Just as birds follow their natural diet, humans pursue what they are accustomed to or what they truly deserve.

One who doesn't know how many curves the letter 'O' has, is the one who shows off the most.

This proverb is used to mock someone who lacks basic knowledge or skills but behaves with excessive pride, vanity, or arrogance. It is equivalent to saying that the most ignorant people are often the most boastful.

Should a man strut who lives on bran?

This proverb is used to criticize someone who tries to act wealthy or sophisticated (putting on airs) while living in extreme poverty or lacking basic necessities. It highlights the irony of pretentiousness when one's actual situation is humble.

He doesn't have bran to eat himself, yet he asks for sun-dried crackers for his courtesan.

This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks basic necessities for themselves but attempts to indulge in extravagant luxuries or provide for others beyond their means. It mocks pretentious behavior or misplaced priorities where one tries to maintain a high status despite being in poverty.

One can bear being a widow, but one cannot bear being blamed (shamed).

This is a powerful traditional saying emphasizing that a person's reputation and honor are more important than any physical or social hardship. While widowhood (historically considered a great misfortune) is endurable, the burden of a false accusation or a stain on one's character is considered unbearable and worse than death or extreme misery.

One can bear the life of a widow, but one cannot bear a false accusation.

This proverb emphasizes that loss of reputation or a stain on one's character is far more painful and difficult to endure than even the most tragic personal misfortune or social hardship. It highlights the supreme importance of personal honor over physical or social suffering.