- English translation
Two combs for a woman with no hair, two kohl pots for a woman with one eye.
- Literal wording
A bald woman with two combs, and a one-eyed woman with two kohl pots.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying mocks people who collect more tools or accessories than they could ever use, purely to show off. A woman whose hair was lost to a scalp disease owning two combs, or a woman with one eye owning two kohl pots, pictures equipment that is both doubled and pointless for its owner.
Beneath the joke lies a sharper criticism: the boaster is blind to their own deficiency. The extra items draw attention to the lack rather than hiding it. Though both images are feminine, the target is showy vanity and poor self-awareness, not women in particular.
- When it is used
Use it to tease or criticize someone who piles up gear, accessories, or tools far beyond what they can use, especially when the display covers an obvious shortcoming. Because its imagery mocks physical conditions, use it with care; carelessly applied, it can sound cruel rather than witty.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Two combs for a woman with no hair, two kohl pots for a woman with one eye.