ఉడుకవే కూరా ఉగాది దాకా అంటే, నాకేమి పనిలేదు ఏరువాక దాకా అన్నట్టు.
udukave kura ugadi daka ante, nakemi paniledu eruvaka daka annattu.
When told 'O curry, keep cooking until Ugadi', it replied 'I have no work until Eruvaka anyway'.
This proverb describes someone who is extremely lazy or slow. It refers to a situation where a person is asked to do a simple task very slowly as a joke, but they respond by saying they are willing to take even longer because they have no intention of working at all. It is used to mock people who look for excuses to procrastinate or avoid any kind of effort.
Related Phrases
హడావుడేంటే కుక్క అంటే ఊళ్ళో పెళ్ళే నక్క అందిట
hadavudente kukka ante ullo pelle nakka andita
When the dog asked 'why are you in such a rush?', the fox replied 'there is a wedding in the village'.
This proverb is used to mock someone who is unnecessarily excited or busy with something that has nothing to do with them or from which they will gain no benefit. Just as a fox has no role or invitation to a human wedding, the person is involving themselves in affairs where they are neither needed nor welcome.
గాడిద కొడకా అంటే తమరు తండ్రులు మేము బిడ్డలము అన్నాడట
gadida kodaka ante tamaru tandrulu memu biddalamu annadata
When called 'Son of a donkey', he replied 'Then you are the father and we are the children'.
This proverb is used to describe a witty or sarcastic retort to an insult. It highlights a situation where someone tries to insult another person, but the target cleverly turns the logic back on the insulter, making them the target of their own abuse. It is used when someone attempts to belittle others but ends up looking foolish due to the recipient's quick-witted response.
ఏమే గురగాక అంటే, ఎవరికేమి స్థిరమే బద్ధకా అన్నదట
eme guragaka ante, evarikemi sthirame baddhaka annadata
When asked 'What's the matter, Guragaka?', she replied 'Who has anything permanent, Badhdhaka?'
This is a sarcastic proverb used to describe lazy people who give philosophical excuses or use fatalism to justify their lack of effort. It mocks those who avoid work by claiming that since nothing in life is permanent, there is no point in working hard.
ఇల్లరికం వద్దు కొడకా అంటే సన్యాసం ఉంటా అన్నట్టు
illarikam vaddu kodaka ante sanyasam unta annattu
When told not to live as a resident son-in-law, the son replied he would rather become an ascetic.
This proverb describes a person who chooses an even more undesirable or extreme alternative when advised against a difficult situation. It is used when someone reacts to a suggestion by proposing a solution that is worse or more radical than the original problem.
ఏడుస్తావు ఏమి ఎలుకా అంటే నా బాధ నీకేమెరుక అన్నదట.
edustavu emi eluka ante na badha nikemeruka annadata.
When asked 'Why are you crying, little mouse?', it replied 'What do you know of my pain?'
This proverb is used to highlight that an outsider or a bystander cannot truly understand the depth of someone else's suffering or personal struggles. It is often used when someone dismisses another person's problems lightly without having experienced them.
మొదలు లేదు సుబ్బక్కా అంటే ముంతెడీ పెద్దక్కా అన్నదట
modalu ledu subbakka ante muntedi peddakka annadata
When one says 'Subbakka, there is no beginning/stock,' the other says 'I want a vessel full, Peddakka.'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes a demand or a request without understanding that the basic requirements or resources are completely unavailable. It highlights a lack of common sense or the absurdity of asking for a specific quantity when there is nothing to start with in the first place.
ఏరు ముందా ఏరువాక ముందా
eru munda eruvaka munda
Is the river first or the plowing festival first?
This is a rhetorical expression or a riddle-like saying often used to discuss the cyclical nature of things or to question priorities. 'Eruvaka' refers to the traditional festival marking the beginning of the plowing season. It highlights the deep connection between the arrival of rains (rivers) and the start of agricultural activity.
ఉడకవే కుండా ఉగాది దాకా అంటే, నాకేమి పనిలేదు ఏరువాక దాకా అన్నాడట.
udakave kunda ugadi daka ante, nakemi paniledu eruvaka daka annadata.
[ The host said ] " Boil, boil away, O food, until new year's day!" [ the guest added ] "My business will not take me away until the ploughing-season."
This proverb is used to describe extremely lazy individuals who are content to waste time or remain idle for long periods. It mocks someone who, when asked to do a long or tedious task, sarcastically suggests they can do it even longer because they have no intention of doing any other productive work.
During the Pongal feast in January a stingy man tried by a broad hint to avoid giving a visitor food, but the latter was not to be done out of his dinner. The Telugu New year's day falls in April, and cultivation commences in July. Eat and welcome ; fast and heartily welcome. Let the guest go before the storm bursts. (German.)*
గతిలేనివాడు గాడిదకాళ్ళు పట్టుకొన్నట్లు
gatilenivadu gadidakallu pattukonnatlu
Like a helpless man clutching the legs of a donkey.
This expression is used to describe a person who, in a state of absolute desperation or helplessness, seeks assistance from someone completely insignificant, unworthy, or incapable of helping. It highlights the irony and humiliation of being forced to rely on the lowest possible means when one has no other choice.
అంగటివీథిలో అబ్బా అంటే, ఎవరికి పుట్టినావురా కొడకా అన్నట్టు.
angativithilo abba ante, evariki puttinavura kodaka annattu.
When addressed [by his son] in the bazar as "Father," he replied, "Son! unto whom wert thou born?"
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes a general remark or expresses pain/need, and a stranger or bystander responds with an unnecessarily intrusive, mocking, or irrelevant personal question. It highlights the lack of empathy or the absurdity of some people's reactions to others' distress in public.
Want of natural affection. Selfish indifference.