ఉల్లి ఉంటే, మల్లి కూడా వంటలక్కే

This expression highlights the essential role of onions in cooking, suggesting that with the right key ingredients or resources, even someone with mediocre skills can produce great results. It is often used to emphasize that having the necessary tools or materials makes a task much easier to accomplish successfully.

This proverb is used to emphasize that an object's or person's inherent nature cannot be changed just because of outward similarities or pretension. Just as an onion's smell prevents it from being a jasmine, and a crow's appearance doesn't make it a melodic cuckoo, intrinsic traits define true character.

This proverb is used to highlight that certain things have inherent limitations and can never replace the original or the ideal. Just as an onion's pungent smell can never match the fragrance of a jasmine, a temporary or illegitimate relationship cannot provide the status, stability, or respect of a legal marriage.

This expression is used to describe a situation where an insignificant or irrelevant event takes place amidst a large chaos or a major conflict. It highlights how something minor gets overlooked or happens unnoticed during a noisy disturbance, or it can refer to someone trying to get their work done quietly while others are busy fighting.

This expression is used to describe a series of events happening one after another in quick succession, or a situation where things are piled up or layered. It often refers to a lineage or a sequence of names/entities that follow a specific order or pattern.

This proverb is used to describe how children often inherit the traits, habits, or characteristics of their parents (similar to 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'). It suggests that a person's behavior or nature is naturally influenced by their lineage or upbringing.

This proverb describes someone who is very vocal, boastful, or makes grand promises (Malli) but is completely absent or disappears when it comes time to actually do the work (Elli). It is used to criticize people who talk a lot but never follow through with action.

This proverb is used to describe a person who talks a lot and makes big promises but is completely absent or lazy when it is actually time to do the work. It contrasts a talkative nature with a lack of productivity.

This proverb is used to express that wherever there is a society or a larger structure, there will naturally be a working class or diverse sections associated with it. In a broader context, it implies that certain consequences or accompanying elements are inevitable given a specific situation.

This proverb is used to describe a person who behaves contrary to the general trend or logic of their surroundings. It highlights an ironic or defiant situation where someone claims or exhibits something high-end or beautiful (jasmine) while everyone else is dealing with something common or pungent (onions).