bull in a china shop
Graceless wrecking force
A bull in a china shop is someone who is clumsy, reckless, or tactless in a situation requiring delicacy or care.
The image is of a large, powerful animal blundering through shelves of fragile porcelain, destroying everything in its path.
The phrase typically describes people who lack finesse in social situations or who handle sensitive matters with excessive force.
He went into the salary negotiation like a bull in a china shop and alienated everyone.
- clumsyLacking physical coordination
- recklessCarelessly ignoring danger
- out of controlUnable to be restrained
- wild animalUndomesticated creature
- oafStupid clumsy person
stampede · destruction · smash · crash · breaking glass · porcelain · shatter · breakage · careless · blundering · havoc · wreckage · fragile · horns · rampage · awkward · lumbering · brute force
- farm idiomsmake hay while the sun shines, cream of the crop, put the cart before the horse, till the cows come home, buy the farm
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- clumsinessclumsiness, clumsy, awkwardness, fumble, stumble
- impulsive actionsspur of the moment, on a whim, snap decision, knee-jerk reaction, rush in
bull in a china shopgraceful
Elegant in movement
nimble · agile · deft · lithe · surefooted
bull in a china shoptactful
Socially sensitive and careful
walk on eggshells · diplomatic · delicate · subtle · careful
bull in a china shopwalk on eggshells
Act with excessive caution
tread lightly · handle with kid gloves · tiptoe · cautious · gentle
bull, china, shop, bulls, bullish, bullock, shopping, shopped, shopper