white elephant

英 [ˌwaɪt ˈelɪfənt]

美 [ˌwaɪt ˈelɪfənt]

n.  昂贵而无用之物

牛津词典

noun

• 昂贵而无用之物
  a thing that is useless and no longer needed, although it may have cost a lot of money
  1. The new office block has become an expensive white elephant.
     这座新办公大楼成了昂贵的摆设。

柯林斯词典

• N-COUNT 昂贵而无用的东西;华而不实的东西
  If you describe something as awhite elephant, you mean that it is a waste of money because it is completely useless.
  1. The pavilion has become a £4 million steel and glass white elephant.
     这个耗资400万英镑、用钢与玻璃所构筑起的亭子已经成了一个华而不实的摆设。

英英释义

noun

• albinic Indian elephant
• a valuable possession whose upkeep is excessively expensive

双语例句

• Jan's factory is an absolute white elephant.
  简的那个工厂成了一个大包袱。
• That super size desk is a white elephant to his room.
  那张他房间里的超大书桌很大而无当。
• The angel figurine reminded me of the white elephant gift exchange game that we play every year.
  天使小雕像使我想起了我们每年都会玩的“白象礼物交换游戏”；
• Who would have thought to meet a white elephant.
  谁会想到会遇到一头白象啊！
• Each holiday for me seemed like a white elephant, a thing which can't make people excited.
  每一个节日对于我来说如同鸡肘，令人提不起劲。
• His collection of stamps came to the hammer yesterday There's a white elephant sale today.
  他的集邮品昨日被拍卖。今天有珍品要廉价拍卖。
• There's a white elephant sale today.
  今天有珍品要廉价拍卖。
• Did you see that gift she gave me? What should I do with this white elephant?
  你看到她送我的礼物了吗？这种小玩意儿我该怎么处理？
• The boy showed no interest in music. The grand piano they had bought for him was nothing but a white elephant.
  那个男孩对音乐没有兴趣，他们为他买的大钢琴成了件多余的东西。
• A motor-car would be a white elephant to him, because he can't drive it.
  摩托车对他一点用都没有，因为他不会驾驶。