Idiom
China syndrome
Meaning
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.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Engineers worry that a total cooling failure could lead to a China syndrome.”
“Modern safety systems prevent a China syndrome from ever happening.”
“The safety report warned that if the reactor core overheats, it could trigger a China syndrome, causing the molten material to melt through the containment floor.”
“If the backup generators fail during a heatwave, the facility risks a China syndrome that would contaminate the groundwater deep below the plant.”
“The movie plot centers on a whistleblower trying to warn the public about a potential China syndrome at a local power station.”
“The catastrophic scenario of a China syndrome remains the ultimate nightmare for nuclear safety experts, representing the theoretical point where a meltdown penetrates the very foundation of the facility.”
Examples
simple
“Engineers worry that a total cooling failure could lead to a China syndrome.”
“Modern safety systems prevent a China syndrome from ever happening.”
contextual
“The safety report warned that if the reactor core overheats, it could trigger a China syndrome, causing the molten material to melt through the containment floor.”
“If the backup generators fail during a heatwave, the facility risks a China syndrome that would contaminate the groundwater deep below the plant.”
“The movie plot centers on a whistleblower trying to warn the public about a potential China syndrome at a local power station.”
complex
“The catastrophic scenario of a China syndrome remains the ultimate nightmare for nuclear safety experts, representing the theoretical point where a meltdown penetrates the very foundation of the facility.”
Origin
China + syndrome. Popularized via the 1979 disaster thriller film The China Syndrome.
Key words
Related idioms
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