bull in a china shop
A person who is clumsy, aggressive, without care, concern or self-control.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is like a bull in a china shop during meetings.”
“Please be careful with the fragile equipment, as you are acting like a bull in a china shop.”
“His aggressive management style made him a bull in a china shop, causing irreparable damage to the team's morale and productivity.”
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all the tea in China
Something very valuable or priceless.
- 02
Banbury story of a cock and a bull
A roundabout, nonsensical story.
- 03
big shop
A large, regular purchase of groceries; as opposed to ad hoc or impulse purchases.
- 04
bull session
An informal discursive group discussion, often one where politics, economics or current events are discussed.
- 05
China syndrome
A hypothetical kind of catastrophic failure in which a nuclear reactor melts through the floor of its containment system and (if on land) penetrates the Earth's surface, continuing downward as if (from a Western Hemispheric point of view) traveling through the planet toward China.
- 06
grab the bull by the horns
Synonym of take the bull by the horns.
- 07
hit the shops
To become available for purchase at retail locations.
- 08
made in China
Cheaply manufactured; of poor or low quality, (especially) if made in East Asia.
Last updated August 10, 2026