తిన్న కుక్క తినిపోతే, కన్న కుక్కకు కాలు విరుగగొట్టినట్లు.
tinna kukka tinipote, kanna kukkaku kalu virugagottinatlu.
When the dog that ate the food ran away, breaking the leg of the dog that was just watching.
This expression is used to describe a situation where an innocent person is punished for the mistakes or crimes committed by someone else who escaped. It highlights unfair treatment or misplaced anger.
Related Phrases
తిన్న కుక్క తినిపోతే, కన్న కుక్కను కట్టేసినారంట.
tinna kukka tinipote, kanna kukkanu kattesinaranta.
While the dog that ate the food ran away, they tied up the dog that saw it happen.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where the actual culprit or wrongdoer escapes, and an innocent bystander or a witness is unfairly blamed or punished for the deed. It highlights a failure of justice or a mistake in identifying the true offender.
కూరలేని తిండి కుక్కతిండి
kuraleni tindi kukkatindi
Food without a side dish is food for dogs
This proverb emphasizes the importance of having a proper curry or accompaniment with a meal. In Telugu culture, eating plain rice without any flavor or side dish is considered poor etiquette or a sign of extreme misery, likened to how an animal might be fed.
కరిచే కుక్కకు కర్ర అడ్డము
kariche kukkaku karra addamu
A stick is an obstacle for a biting dog.
This proverb suggests that for every threat or nuisance, there is a specific deterrent or solution. Just as a stick can keep a biting dog at bay, certain measures can be taken to prevent or manage troublesome people or situations.
తిన్న కుక్క తిని పోతే, కన్న కుక్కను పట్టి కాళ్లు విరగకొట్టినట్టు
tinna kukka tini pote, kanna kukkanu patti kallu viragakottinattu
When the dog which had eaten [ the food ] ran off, he caught hold of another dog and broke its leg. Making the innocent suffer for the guilty.
This proverb describes a situation where the actual culprit escapes, and an innocent person who happens to be nearby is punished for the crime. It is used to highlight injustice or a lapse in judgement where the wrong person is held accountable for someone else's mistake.
కక్కిన కుక్కవద్దికీ కన్న కుక్కవద్దికీ కానివాణ్ని అయినా పంపవద్దు.
kakkina kukkavaddiki kanna kukkavaddiki kanivanni ayina pampavaddu.
Don't send even your enemy near a dog which has vomited, or a bitch which has pupped.
This proverb highlights situations of extreme irritability and danger. A dog that has vomited is often sick and unpredictable, while a dog with newborns is fiercely protective and aggressive. It teaches that one should not put anyone—even a foe—into a situation where certain harm or irrational fury is expected.
చవి ఎరిగిన కుక్క చావ గొట్టినా పోదు.
chavi erigina kukka chava gottina podu.
A dog that has tasted something delicious will not leave even if beaten to death.
This proverb is used to describe a person who has experienced a certain pleasure, profit, or benefit and refuses to give it up or leave the source, despite facing hardships, insults, or punishments. It highlights how difficult it is to break a habit or detach someone from a lucrative situation once they have experienced its taste.
ఎక్కడ కొట్టినా, కుక్కకు కాలు కుంటుతుంది.
ekkada kottina, kukkaku kalu kuntutundi.
Wherever you strike a dog, he will limp.
This proverb describes a situation where a person is so vulnerable or inherently flawed that any misfortune, regardless of where it strikes, affects their most basic stability. It is often used to refer to people who are already in a weak position, where any further trouble only worsens their existing plight.
ఏరు ఎంత పారినా కుక్కకు కతుకు నీళ్లే
eru enta parina kukkaku katuku nille
Let the river flow ever so abundantly, the dog only gets what it can lap up. A servant neglected by a master liberal to strangers.
This proverb suggests that even when resources or opportunities are abundant, a person's gain is limited by their own capacity, character, or destiny. It is often used to describe someone who cannot benefit fully from great wealth or status due to their inherent limitations or poor habits.
* Il n'y a pire eau que l'eau qui dort.
కుక్కకు జరికుచ్చులు కట్టినట్లు.
kukkaku jarikuchchulu kattinatlu.
Like tying golden tassels to a dog.
This expression is used to describe a situation where something beautiful, valuable, or sophisticated is given to someone who cannot appreciate its worth or is completely unsuitable for it. It highlights the mismatch between an elegant ornament and an unworthy recipient, often used to mock unnecessary or tasteless ornamentation.
కూటికుండ కుక్కముట్టినట్లు
kutikunda kukkamuttinatlu
Like a dog touching the pot of cooked food
This expression is used to describe a situation where something pure or useful becomes completely ruined, defiled, or unusable because of the interference of an unworthy or undesirable person. In traditional contexts, if a dog touched a cooking pot, the entire meal was considered polluted and had to be discarded.