ఉల్లిపాయంత బలిజవుంటే, వూరంతా చెరుస్తాడు
ullipayanta balijavunte, vuranta cherustadu
If there be a Balija man as small as a clove of garlick, he will ruin the whole village.
This proverb is used to describe a person who, despite having very little actual power or capability (like the size of an onion), causes significant trouble, mischief, or destruction to everyone around them.
Balija is a caste among Telugu and Canarese Sûdras. One scabbed sheep will mar a whole flock. One ill weed mars a whole pot of pottage. * Asno de muchos, lobca le comen. † Il cherche son âne et il est monté dossus.
Related Phrases
గోరంత ఉంటే కొండంత చేస్తాడు
goranta unte kondanta chestadu
When it is as small as a finger nail, he makes a mountain of it. To make a mountain of a mole-hill.
This expression is used to describe someone who has a habit of exaggerating small, insignificant matters or trivial issues into major problems or grand stories. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.
నోరంతా పళ్ళు, ఊరంతా అప్పులు
noranta pallu, uranta appulu
A mouth full of teeth, a town full of debts.
This proverb is used to describe someone who smiles or talks excessively to hide their financial troubles, or someone who maintains an outward appearance of cheerfulness despite being heavily indebted to many people in the community.
అంతా కంత
anta kanta
All of it is just a hole/gap
This expression is used to describe a situation where there is a total loss, or when something is completely hollow, empty, or useless despite appearances. It implies that everything has gone down the drain or that the entirety of a matter results in nothingness.
ఉల్లి చేసిన మేలు తల్లి కూడా చేయదు
ulli chesina melu talli kuda cheyadu
The benefit provided by an onion cannot be provided even by a mother.
This popular proverb highlights the immense medicinal and nutritional value of onions. It suggests that while a mother is the ultimate caregiver, the health benefits of eating onions are so unique and vital that they are incomparable. It is used to encourage the inclusion of onions in one's diet for better health.
ఊరంతా చుట్టాలు, ఉట్టికట్ట తావులేదు
uranta chuttalu, uttikatta tavuledu
The village is full of relations, but there is no place to hang up the sling (i. e. no shelter). Give out that you have many friends, and believe that you have but few. (French.)
This expression describes a situation where one has many connections or resources in theory, but none of them are available or useful when needed. It is used to highlight the irony of having many relatives or friends who do not offer actual help or hospitality during a crisis.
వేపకాయంత తీపి, వేసంగంత చలువ
vepakayanta tipi, vesanganta chaluva
As sweet as a neem fruit, as cool as the summer.
A sarcastic expression used to describe something that is actually the opposite of what is being said. Since neem is incredibly bitter and summer is scorching hot, this phrase highlights a situation that is extremely unpleasant, harsh, or difficult, while using ironic comparisons.
కడుపులోని మాట అంటే వూరంతా అవుతున్నది
kadupuloni mata ante vuranta avutunnadi
If you let out your secret, it will get all over the village.
This proverb is used to warn someone about the difficulty of keeping secrets. It suggests that once a private thought or secret is voiced to even one person, it quickly spreads and becomes public knowledge.
Three know it, all know it. (Italian.)* The secret of two is God's secret; the secret of three is all the world's, (French.)?
ఉల్లిపాయంత బలిజ ఉంటే, ఊరంతా చెడుస్తాడు.
ullipayanta balija unte, uranta chedustadu.
If there is a Balija as small as an onion, he will ruin the whole village.
This is a traditional Telugu proverb (sameta) used to describe a person who is small in stature or status but possesses a cunning or mischievous nature capable of causing widespread trouble. It highlights how a single manipulative individual can disrupt the peace of an entire community.
ఎంత చెట్టుకు అంత గాలి
enta chettuku anta gali
As big as the tree is, so much is the wind.
This proverb suggests that responsibilities, problems, or rewards are proportional to one's stature, status, or capacity. For example, a larger business faces bigger risks, or a person with a high income has higher expenses.
గోరంత ఉంటే కొండంత చేస్తాడు
goranta unte kondanta chestadu
If it is as small as a fingernail, he makes it as big as a mountain.
This expression is used to describe a person who has a habit of exaggerating things or blowing small issues out of proportion. It is similar to the English idiom 'to make a mountain out of a molehill'.