తినకుండా రుచులు, దిగకుండా లోతులు తెలియవు.

tinakunda ruchulu, digakunda lotulu teliyavu.

Translation

Without eating, tastes are unknown; without diving, depths are unknown.

Meaning

This proverb emphasizes the importance of firsthand experience over theoretical knowledge. It is used to convey that one cannot judge the quality, difficulty, or nature of a situation or task without actually engaging in it or trying it out.

Related Phrases

The depth of a good person and the depth of an abandoned pit cannot be known.

This proverb suggests that just as it is difficult to measure the depth of an overgrown or abandoned pit, it is equally difficult to fathom the true intentions, thoughts, or internal nature of a seemingly quiet or good person. It is often used to remind others that appearances can be deceptive and that calm people often possess deep, complex characters or hidden strengths.

The pot the daughter-in-law broke was a new one; the pot the mother-in-law broke was a patched-up one.

This proverb highlights human hypocrisy and double standards in judging mistakes. It describes a situation where people exaggerate the mistakes of others (the daughter-in-law's mistake is seen as destroying something brand new) while making excuses for their own or their favorites' mistakes (the mother-in-law's broken pot is dismissed as having been old and already broken). It is used to point out unfair bias and blame-shifting.

Without my knowledge, does Nambikishtaiah have a handful of hair?

This proverb is used to mock someone who pretends to have authority or exclusive knowledge over something that is either obvious or impossible to hide. It refers to a situation where a person is surprised or skeptical about someone else's unexpected possession or growth, often used when questioning how something happened without one's supervision or consent.

Hit in such a way that the stick doesn't break and the snake doesn't die.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a problem needs to be solved or a task accomplished without causing any damage or loss to the parties involved. It refers to finding a diplomatic or clever middle ground where the objective is achieved while maintaining perfect balance and avoiding negative consequences.

The depth is not known until one enters (the water).

This expression means that one cannot truly understand the complexity or difficulty of a situation until they are personally involved or have started the task. It is used to advise against making superficial judgments or to explain that practical experience is necessary to grasp the reality of a problem.

The snake should not die, and the stick should not break.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a problem needs to be solved or a task needs to be completed without causing any damage, loss, or negative consequences to either party involved. It refers to finding a perfect, diplomatic, or tactful middle ground where the objective is achieved with zero risk or collateral damage.

One cannot know the exact depth of the water without entering it.

This expression means that you cannot understand the true nature, difficulty, or complexity of a situation until you personally get involved or experience it. It is used to suggest that practical experience is necessary to judge the reality of a matter, rather than making assumptions from the outside.

Without eating you can't tell the taste; without going down [ into the water ] you can't know the depth. The proof of a pudding is in the eating.

This proverb emphasizes that practical experience is essential to truly understand or judge something. Just as you cannot judge a dish without tasting it or know the depth of a pond without stepping into it, you cannot understand the complexities or difficulties of a situation or task until you are personally involved in it.

Without eating, you cannot know the taste; without entering, you cannot know the depth.

This proverb emphasizes that experiential knowledge is superior to theoretical knowledge. Just as one must taste food to know its flavor or enter a body of water to gauge its depth, one cannot truly understand a situation, a task, or a person's character without direct involvement or personal experience.

I will give you a bundle of grain without any one else see- ing me, but will you play on the double drum without any one else hearing it? A silly request made by a female, who was not allowed to indulge her taste for music.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone tries to hide a major event or a blatant truth, but it is impossible to keep it secret because the 'noise' or consequences of that action are obvious to everyone. It highlights that while one sense or perspective can be blocked, the reality will eventually manifest in another undeniable way.