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China Syndrome

What Does "China Syndrome" Mean?

homeidiomsChina Syndrome
"China syndrome" is an English idiom. It means "a hypothetical nuclear meltdown scenario so severe it would melt through the Earth all the way to china (not literally possible)."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "china syndrome" used in a sentence:
  • After the reactor incident, there was initial panic about a potential China syndrome.
  • Movies like 'The China Syndrome' highlighted fears of nuclear accidents.
  • He's always fretting about unlikely scenarios like the China syndrome.
meaning for china syndrome

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "China Syndrome" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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