bull in a china shop

Noun

bull in a china shop (plural bulls in a china shop or bulls in china shops)

1. (idiomatic, informal) A person who is clumsy, aggressive, without care, concern or self-control.
   • The various plotters and counterplotters go their devious ways, proceeding with all the subtlety of bulls in china shops, but we never do learn what the plot is all about.1933 January 29, “My Lady Dangerous. By Sydney Horler. […]”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2025
   • The allegations also add to Mr. [Brian] Murphy’s reputation. “Could he be a bit of a bull in a china shop? Absolutely,” said Kerry Sleeper, a former assistant director of the F.B.I. [Federal Bureau of Investigation] who once supervised Mr. Murphy. “But also that’s a person that allows change to...2020 September 11, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Adam Goldman, “Whistle-Blower’s Complaint Ignites a Smoldering Homeland Security Agency”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company...