Aam Ke Aam Aur Gutliyon Ke Daam

January 4, 2021

Today I will introduce another Hindi proverb or “saying” or Kahawat (कहावत):
The plural form of Kahawat is Kahawate (कहावतें)

Kahawat and Muhavra are usually spoken of as if they are the same, but they do have their differences:

1. A Kahawat is a complete sentence, whereas a muhavra need not be a complete sentence. Usually, a muhavra is just a collection of words.
2. The meaning of a kahawat is usually straight forward, but the figurative meaning of a muhavra is usually very different from its literal meaning.
3. A muhavra is used to add color and an element of delight to our mundane conversation, making it more titillating.
4. A kahawat is used to convey an idea or a nugget of traditional wisdom in a compact, efficient and interesting manner that is easily recognized and remembered.
5. An idiomatic proverb, usually mixes elements of a muhavra with a kahawat, making the proverb all the more titillating and memorable.

Today’s Hindi proverb (कहावत) is:

आम के आम गुठलियों के दाम।

(Transliteration: Aam ke aam aur gutliyon ke daam.)

Literal translation: Mango for mango and cash for its seeds.

Cash for the seed too!

Figurative meaning: To be benefited above and beyond the obvious. To extract an extra bonus profit out of a deal.

Usage in a sample sentence:

मैंने जो किताबें खरीदी थीं, मैंने अपनी परीक्षा पास करने के बाद दूसरे छात्र को बेच दिया। इस प्रकार मुझे आम के आम और गुठलियों के दाम मिले।

(Transliteration: Mai ne jo kitabe kharidi thi, mai ne apni pariksha paas karne ke baad doosre chatr ko baech diya. Iss prakaar mujhe aam ke aam aur gutliyon ke daam mile.)

Translation: The books I had bought, I sold them to another student after I had passed my exams. Thus I got twice the benefit from those books.

Origins of the proverb: Usually we eat a mango and throw away its seed in the garbage. However, if instead of throwing away those seeds, if we could sell them for cash, we would gain something extra from those mangoes besides just eating the fruit. The proverb makes use of this metaphor to inform us of the possibility of an extra benefit in a deal or a situation.