ఉండేది గట్టి, పోయేది పొట్టు

undedi gatti, poyedi pottu

Translation

What remains is solid, what has gone is empty husk.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe situations where unnecessary, weak, or useless elements are discarded, leaving behind only what is valuable, strong, or essential. It is often used to provide comfort during a loss or a filtering process, suggesting that whatever was lost wasn't worth keeping anyway.

Related Phrases

A knife that has lost its sharpness, and farming that has missed its season.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of timing and readiness. Just as a blunt knife is useless for cutting, farming becomes futile if the right season or opportunity is missed. It is used to convey that actions must be taken at the appropriate time to be effective.

What remains is solid; what is lost was just husk.

This expression is used to find consolation after a loss, suggesting that the essential or valuable part remains while only the superficial or worthless part was lost. It is often used to encourage resilience and focusing on what one still possesses.

What is lost is the sheath, what remains is the sword.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a minor or superficial loss occurs, but the essential, powerful, or valuable part remains intact. It suggests that one shouldn't worry about losing a decorative or protective cover (like a scabbard) as long as the functional weapon (the sword) is still available. It is often used to motivate someone after a small setback, emphasizing that their core strength is still with them.

Close (your mouth) and sit

This is a blunt and often rude expression used to tell someone to shut up or stay quiet. It is commonly used when someone is talking unnecessarily, annoying others, or meddling in affairs that do not concern them. It literally instructs the person to 'shut it' and remain still.

Short and strong, tall and weak. A short man needs no stool to give a great lubber a box on the car.

This proverb suggests that physical stature does not necessarily determine strength or capability. It implies that short people are often sturdy and resilient (tough), while tall people might be clumsy or lacking in stamina (hollow). It is used to caution against judging someone's ability based solely on their height.

What remains is a bundle of horse gram; what is lost is a bundle of grains.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone exaggerates the value of what they have lost while downplaying the value of what they still possess. It points out the human tendency to claim that the lost item was far superior to the one that remains, often used to critique someone who is being ungrateful or dramatic about a loss.

That which is gone is the scabbard, that which remains is the sword.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a protective or decorative exterior is lost, but the essential, powerful, or dangerous core remains. It implies that while a loss has occurred, the most important or potent part is still intact. It is often used to warn that even if someone has lost their status or wealth, their inherent strength or sharpness remains.

" He who is dead is nothing to his successor." ( Brown. )

That which was owned is gone, and that which was kept is also gone

This proverb describes a situation where someone loses what they already possessed while greedily chasing something extra or trying to manage two things at once. It is used to highlight total loss resulting from poor judgment or over-ambition.

What remains is the bank (solid ground), what is lost is the husk.

This expression is used to describe a situation where, after a loss or a filtering process, only the essential or valuable part remains while the useless or trivial part is gone. It is often used to console someone by pointing out that even if something was lost, the core strength or the most important asset is still intact.

Like leaving the grain, and fighting for the husk.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone ignores the essential, valuable, or core part of something and instead wastes their time and energy on trivial, useless, or superficial matters. It is a critique of poor prioritization and lack of common sense.