తూట్లు మూసి తూములు తెరచినట్లు

This proverb is used to describe a person who is very eager and cooperative when there is a benefit or reward (like food) but becomes resistant or difficult when it is time to work or be disciplined (like putting on a horse's bridle). It highlights opportunistic or lazy behavior.

This proverb describes a person who is eager and greedy for small, immediate benefits (represented by a handful of boiled snacks/guggillu) but remains silent or fails to act when there is an opportunity for a much larger gain (represented by the entire harvest at the threshing floor/kallam). It is used to mock someone who lacks a sense of proportion or fails to recognize where the real profit lies.

This proverb describes a situation where someone enjoys something superior or valuable for themselves while offering something inferior or cheaper to others. It is used to point out hypocrisy, selfishness, or a disparity in treatment where the person in power keeps the best resources and gives away the lesser ones.

This expression is used to describe a person or a thing that is completely useless or ineffective. It suggests that the presence or absence of certain actions/tools doesn't matter when the core functionality is missing. It is often used to refer to someone who is indifferent to what is happening around them or an effort that yields no result regardless of the approach.

This expression is used to describe a critical situation or a single point of failure where a small action can lead to total collapse. It highlights extreme vulnerability or a situation that is at its breaking point.

This expression describes a person who causes harm or destruction to public welfare services or charitable acts that benefit everyone. It is used to characterize someone who is unnecessarily malicious, especially toward things meant for the common good.

This proverb describes a situation of being 'penny wise and pound foolish.' It refers to people who waste time or effort fixing minor, insignificant problems (leaks) while ignoring massive, glaring issues (open gates) that cause far more damage or loss.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone performs a task in a haphazard, inconsistent, or clumsy manner. It refers to disjointed work that lacks cohesion or logic, often resulting in a messy outcome where things are pieced together without proper planning.

This expression describes acts of senseless mischief or malice that harm the public good without any benefit to the perpetrator. A 'Chali-pandiri' is a traditional shed where free drinking water is offered to travelers; destroying these pots represents an especially mean-spirited act of sabotage against a selfless service.

This proverb is used to describe a situation or a person that is completely useless or ineffective regardless of the circumstances. It implies that certain actions or changes make no practical difference to the final outcome because the underlying capability is missing.