White Elephant: Meaning in Hindi & English
The idiom “White Elephant” refers to an expensive, rare or valuable item that is either difficult to maintain or hard to dispose of. The term often carries a negative connotation and is used to describe something that is more of a burden than a benefit.
अंग्रेज़ी में “White Elephant” का उपयोग एक महंगी, दुर्लभ या मूल्यवान वस्तु के लिए किया जाता है जो या तो रखना मुश्किल होता है या फिर उससे छुटकारा पाना कठिन होता है। यह शब्द अक्सर नकारात्मक रूप से प्रयोग किया जाता है और कुछ ऐसे काम को बताने के लिए उपयोग किया जाता है जो एक बोझ से अधिक लाभ की जगह होते हैं।
What is a “White Elephant”?
The term “White Elephant” represents an expensive or rare possession which is difficult to maintain or dispose of. This term can refer to anything that is more of a burden than a benefit, such as an expensive car or a complicated piece of machinery.
How did the term “White Elephant” originate?
The term “White Elephant” is believed to have originated from Ancient Southeast Asia, where a white elephant was a rare and sacred animal that was considered to be a symbol of good luck and prosperity. However, it was also very difficult and expensive to take care of, and owning one could actually cause financial ruin. As a result, it became a burden for those who possessed it.
Examples of “White Elephant” in a sentence in English and Its meaning in Hindi:
- “The new stadium was a financial white elephant and caused the team to go bankrupt.” (नई स्टेडियम एक वित्तीय बोझ था जो टीम को दिवालिया कर दिया।)
- “After buying the expensive boat, he realized it was a white elephant as it took a lot of time and money to maintain.” (महंगी नाव ख़रीदने के बाद, उसे यह पता लगा कि उसे रखने में काफी समय और पैसे लगते हैं जो कि उसके लिए एक बोझ होते हैं।)
- “The old mansion was a beautiful white elephant that nobody wanted to buy due to its high maintenance cost.” (पुराना विला एक सुंदर वस्तु था जो उच्च रखरखाव लागत के कारण कोई ख़रीदना नहीं चाहता था।)
- “The company’s new product turned out to be a white elephant as it did not meet the customer’s needs.” (कंपनी का नया उत्पाद उपभोक्ता की ज़रूरतों को पूरा नहीं कर पाया जिससे यह उसके लिए एक बोझ हुआ।)
- “Her wedding dress was a beautiful but expensive white elephant that she could never wear again.” (उसकी शादी का पोशाक एक सुंदर लेकिन महंगी वस्तु था जिसे वह कभी फिर नहीं पहन सकती थी।)
Alternatives to “White Elephant”?
Synonyms of “White Elephant” include burden, liability, drawback, and disadvantage. Antonyms include asset and advantage.
Translating “White Elephant” into Hindi
The Hindi translation of “White Elephant” is “महंगा हाथी” (Mahanga Hathi).
“महंगा हाथी” एक ऐसी महंगी वस्तु को दर्शाता है जो रखना मुश्किल है या उससे छुटकारा पाना कठिन होता है। यह शब्द किसी ऐसे काम को वर्णित करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाता है जो बोझ से अधिक लाभ की जगह होते हैं जैसे की कुछ लोग काम के लिए एक विशाल मशीन करीब से लाने के लिए पागलपनों तक जाते हैं।