
好词典

源自希腊语 'elephas',意为'象牙'或'大象',后经拉丁语 'elephantus' 传入英语。
❶ 大象,一种体型庞大、长有长鼻和象牙的哺乳动物,生活在非洲和亚洲的热带地区。
“Elephants are known for their intelligence and strong social bonds.”
(大象以其智慧和强烈的社会纽带而闻名。)
“The elephants at the zoo are fed twice a day.”
(动物园里的大象每天喂食两次。)
white elephant — 指昂贵但无用或难以维护的物品,源自暹罗(今泰国)赠送白象给不受欢迎的臣民的传统。
“The old mansion became a white elephant for the family due to high maintenance costs.”
(由于高昂的维护费用,这座古老的豪宅成了这个家庭的白象。)