The idiom "white elephant" refers to something that is expensive or valuable, but is also difficult to maintain or impractical to use. It can also refer to something that is unwanted or burdensome.
The origin of the phrase comes from ancient times when white elephants were considered sacred and were given as gifts to kings and other important people. However, owning a white elephant was also a burden because they were expensive to maintain and had to be treated with great care.
In modern times, the phrase is used to describe something that is expensive or difficult to maintain, but is not useful or practical. For example, a large and expensive piece of equipment that is rarely used could be considered a white elephant. Similarly, a building that is too large or difficult to maintain could also be described as a white elephant.
Overall, the phrase "white elephant" is used to describe something that is expensive or valuable, but is also impractical or unwanted.
• The company invested in a new technology that turned out to be a white elephant because it didn't work as expected.
• I don't want to buy that statue, it's a white elephant.
• My friend received a white elephant as a gift and doesn't know what to do with it.
• The politician promised to create new jobs, but the project turned out to be a white elephant because it didn't bring any benefits to the community.
• My grandmother's antique furniture is beautiful, but it's a white elephant because it's too big to fit in my apartment.
• The city council decided to build a new stadium, but some people think it's a white elephant because it's too expensive.