हाथी के दांत खाने के और, दिखाने के और
haathi ke daant khaane ke aur, dikhane ke aur
Deceptive appearance.
Meaning
Literally, 'elephant's tusks for eating are different from those for showing,' meaning hypocrisy.
Cultural Background
In the Hindi heartland, this proverb is a staple of political satire. You will often see it in newspaper cartoons where a politician is drawn with literal elephant tusks labeled 'Promises'. While the proverb exists in Dravidian languages (like 'Aana kombu' in Malayalam), the Hindi version is widely understood due to Bollywood's influence. It's often used to describe the 'glitter' of the film industry vs. its harsh reality. In modern Indian startups, this phrase is used to describe 'Vaporware'—products that are announced with great fanfare but don't actually exist or work as promised. The concept of 'Maya' (illusion) in Indian philosophy often parallels this proverb—the world we see is the 'showing teeth', while the ultimate reality is hidden.
The 'Aur' Trick
Remember that 'aur' here means 'different'. If you can remember 'Eating different, Showing different', you'll never forget the meaning.
Don't be too literal
Never use this to talk about an actual elephant's dental health unless you want to make a joke!
Meaning
Literally, 'elephant's tusks for eating are different from those for showing,' meaning hypocrisy.
The 'Aur' Trick
Remember that 'aur' here means 'different'. If you can remember 'Eating different, Showing different', you'll never forget the meaning.
Don't be too literal
Never use this to talk about an actual elephant's dental health unless you want to make a joke!
Political Context
This is the #1 proverb used in Indian political debates. Use it to sound like a savvy political observer.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing words to complete the proverb.
हाथी के दांत _______ के और, _______ के और।
The proverb specifically contrasts 'eating' (khānē) and 'showing' (dikhānē).
Which situation best fits the proverb 'हाथी के दांत खाने के और, दिखाने के और'?
A politician promises free healthcare but secretly cuts the hospital budget.
Situation B shows a clear contradiction between a public promise and a private action, which is the definition of the proverb.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate response.
राम: 'श्याम कह रहा था कि वह भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ है।' मोहन: 'अरे छोड़ो, सब जानते हैं कि उसके _______।'
The context is about someone claiming to be against corruption while likely being corrupt themselves, which fits the 'elephant's teeth' proverb.
Identify the correct grammatical usage of the proverb in a sentence.
Which sentence is grammatically and idiomatically correct?
Sentence B uses the correct plural 'ke' and the habitual 'hote hain', making it the most natural sounding.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesहाथी के दांत _______ के और, _______ के और।
The proverb specifically contrasts 'eating' (khānē) and 'showing' (dikhānē).
A politician promises free healthcare but secretly cuts the hospital budget.
Situation B shows a clear contradiction between a public promise and a private action, which is the definition of the proverb.
राम: 'श्याम कह रहा था कि वह भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ है।' मोहन: 'अरे छोड़ो, सब जानते हैं कि उसके _______।'
The context is about someone claiming to be against corruption while likely being corrupt themselves, which fits the 'elephant's teeth' proverb.
Which sentence is grammatically and idiomatically correct?
Sentence B uses the correct plural 'ke' and the habitual 'hote hain', making it the most natural sounding.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is not a swear word, but it is a strong accusation. Use it to describe someone's behavior, but be aware it will likely end the friendship if said to their face!
Yes, it is very common to use it for organizations, governments, or brands that don't live up to their marketing.
'Mukh mein Ram' implies a more dangerous, hidden intent (a knife), while 'Haathi ke daant' is more about the general gap between talk and action.
Yes, the concept is universal in India, and similar proverbs exist in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.
Yes, you can just say 'वही हाथी के दांत वाली बात है' (It's that elephant's teeth thing again).
'Daant' is masculine. That's why we use 'ke' (plural) and 'hote hain'.
No, it is almost exclusively used for negative hypocrisy. You wouldn't use it for someone who is secretly nicer than they look.
The word is 'पाखंड' (Pākhand) or 'ढोंग' (Dhong).
Extremely. It appears in many dialogues where a hero confronts a corrupt villain.
Yes, it is considered a high-level literary device and is perfectly acceptable in formal writing.
Related Phrases
मुख में राम, बगल में छुरी
synonymGod's name on the lips, a knife hidden in the side.
कथनी और करनी में अंतर
similarDifference between saying and doing.
ऊपर से फिटफाट, अंदर से मोकामा घाट
similarShiny on the outside, a ruin on the inside.
बगल में छोरा, शहर में ढिंढोरा
contrastThe boy is right next to you, but you're making an announcement in the whole city.
