Meanings
Popularized via the 1979 disaster thriller film The China Syndrome.
How to pronounce "China syndrome":
AU
A hypothetical kind of catastrophic failure in which a nuclear reactor melts through the floor of its containment system and penetrates the Earth's surface, continuing downward as if (from a Western Hemispheric point of view) traveling through the planet toward China.
A behavior, policy, or situation characteristic of or involving China; an actual or potential catastrophe, especially one involving China.
A rare disease, first characterized in the early 1990s, which resembles polio but which has somewhat different characteristics and occurs in persons vaccinated for polio.
Example Sentences
1
The movie depicts a nuclear meltdown and the resulting China syndrome.
2
The engineers worked diligently to prevent the occurrence of a China syndrome.
3
There were concerns about the potential for a China syndrome after the earthquake damaged the nuclear power plant.
4
The documentary explored the devastating consequences of a China syndrome.
5
In order to avoid a China syndrome, the reactor has multiple safety measures in place.
