elefante bianco
/e.leˈfan.te ˈbjan.ko/word by word
The English phrase "white elephant" is translated into Italian as elefante bianco.
elefante bianco is used to describe an unwanted possession, a financial burden or an unprofitable investment. It serves as an informal equivalent to the English idiom in everyday conversations.
Meaning: unwanted possession, financial burden, unprofitable investment (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of the English idiom: elefante means elephant and bianco means white.
How does it change in a sentence?
When making the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must be pluralized to form elefanti bianchi.
Did you know?
- Italian uses the phrase fare un buco nell'acqua meaning 'to make a hole in the water' to describe a project that is a complete failure, similar to the result of an elefante bianco.
- In Italian, the adjective bianco can also mean 'blank', so calling a document bianco means it is empty, not that it is the color white.
- If you use elefante bianco in a business context in Italy, you are using a term that feels heavily influenced by Anglo-Saxon economic terminology.
Examples in context
- Gestire quel vecchio impianto è un elefante bianco.Managing that old plant is a white elephant.
- Non vogliamo comprare un elefante bianco per l'azienda.We don't want to buy a white elephant for the company.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing a failing business project.
- MatteoQuel nuovo ufficio è diventato un elefante bianco.That new office has become a white elephant.
- MartinaHai ragione, costa troppo per quello che rende.You are right, it costs too much for what it earns.
- MatteoDovremmo venderlo subito per evitare perdite.We should sell it immediately to avoid losses.
- MartinaSono d'accordo con te, Matteo.I agree with you, Matteo.
