వండిన కుండలో ఒక మెతుకు పట్టి చూడడము
vandina kundalo oka metuku patti chudadamu
Taking one grain out of the pot and feeling [ whether it is soft or not ]. One action tells what a man is worth. From one circumstance judge of all. (Latin.) You may judge of Herles from his foot. (Latin.)
This expression is used to signify that checking a small sample is enough to judge the quality or status of the whole. For example, one can judge the quality of a book by reading a few pages, or the character of a person by a single action.
Related Phrases
మాసములు ఉండడము
masamulu undadamu
Having months
This expression is used to indicate that a woman is in the advanced stages of pregnancy, literally meaning that several months of the pregnancy have passed and she is nearing full term.
అత్త కొట్టిన కుండ అడుగోటి కుండ, కోడలు కొట్టిన కుండ కొత్త కుండ.
atta kottina kunda adugoti kunda, kodalu kottina kunda kotta kunda.
The pot broken by the mother-in-law was a cracked pot, the pot broken by the daughter-in-law was a new pot.
This proverb highlights double standards and hypocrisy in judgment. It describes a situation where the same mistake is viewed differently depending on who committed it. If someone in a superior position (like a mother-in-law) makes a mistake, it is dismissed as insignificant, but if a subordinate (like a daughter-in-law) makes the same mistake, it is exaggerated and treated as a major offense.
అత్త మెత్తన, కత్తి మెత్తన ఉండవు
atta mettana, katti mettana undavu
A mother-in-law is never soft, and a knife is never soft.
This proverb is used to describe relationships or objects that are inherently sharp or harsh by nature. It suggests that just as a knife's purpose is to cut and it cannot be blunt or soft, a mother-in-law (in traditional contexts) is expected to be strict or demanding, and one should not expect otherwise.
ఇల్లు కట్టి చూడు, పెళ్ళి చేసి చూడు.
illu katti chudu, pelli chesi chudu.
Try building a house, try performing a wedding.
This proverb highlights the two most challenging, resource-intensive, and complex tasks in a person's life: constructing a home and organizing a marriage. It suggests that one only understands the true extent of the effort, patience, and financial strain involved once they personally undertake these responsibilities.
ఎసటిలో మెతుకులన్నీ పట్టి చూడాలనా?
esatilo metukulanni patti chudalana?
Do you need to check every single grain of rice in the boiling pot?
This expression means that one does not need to examine every single part of a whole to understand the quality or result. Just as checking one or two grains of rice is enough to know if the whole pot is cooked, a small sample or a single instance is often sufficient to judge a person's character or the success of a project.
కోడలు కొట్టిన కుండ కొత్తకుండ, అత్త కొట్టిన కుండ అతుకుల కుండ
kodalu kottina kunda kottakunda, atta kottina kunda atukula kunda
The pot the daughter-in-law broke was a new one; the pot the mother-in-law broke was a patched-up one.
This proverb highlights human hypocrisy and double standards in judging mistakes. It describes a situation where people exaggerate the mistakes of others (the daughter-in-law's mistake is seen as destroying something brand new) while making excuses for their own or their favorites' mistakes (the mother-in-law's broken pot is dismissed as having been old and already broken). It is used to point out unfair bias and blame-shifting.
ఇల్లు కట్టి చూడు, పెళ్లి చేసి చూడు
illu katti chudu, pelli chesi chudu
Try building a house, try making a marriage. An expense greater than contemplated. Building and the marrying of children are great wasters.
This proverb highlights that building a home and organizing a marriage are the two most challenging and resource-intensive tasks in a person's life. It suggests that one only understands the true extent of the effort, financial strain, and unforeseen difficulties involved once they actually undertake these responsibilities.
కోడలు కొట్టిన కుండ కొత్త కుండ, అత్త కొట్టిన కుండ అడుగోటి కుండ.
kodalu kottina kunda kotta kunda, atta kottina kunda adugoti kunda.
The pot broken by the daughter-in-law is a new pot, while the pot broken by the mother-in-law is a worthless pot.
This proverb highlights double standards and hypocrisy in judging actions. It refers to how people often exaggerate the mistakes of others (the daughter-in-law) while minimizing or making excuses for their own or their favorites' mistakes (the mother-in-law).
అత్తిపత్తి
attipatti
Touch-me-not plant
Literally referring to the Mimosa pudica plant, this expression is used to describe a person who is extremely sensitive, shy, or gets easily offended or hurt by even the slightest comment or touch.
నీకు ఒక దండం, నీ బువ్వకు ఒక దండం
niku oka dandam, ni buvvaku oka dandam
A bow to you, a bow to your food. Said when offered bad food.
This expression is used when someone is fed up with another person's troublesome behavior or difficult nature. It signifies a desire to cut ties or stay away from them, implying 'I don't want your company, nor do I want to share a meal with you; just leave me alone.'