# bull in a china shop

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bull-in-a-china-shop
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person who is clumsy, aggressive, without care, concern or self-control.

## Examples

- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.
