Understanding Common Proverbs: 'Fish Out of Water' & 'White Elephant'

A fish out of water means to be in a situation where you feel uncomfortable or out of your element. Just like a fish out of water would feel like it doesn't belong on land, someone who uses this phrase feels like they don't fit in or aren't used to a certain situation or environment.

A white elephant means something that is a burden or a nuisance, especially something that is expensive to maintain but has no real value or use. The term originates from ancient Southeast Asia where white elephants were considered sacred and could only be owned by royalty. However, white elephants required a lot of resources to care for and were seen as a financial burden.