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Chinese fire drill

American  

noun

Slang: Usually Offensive.

  1. a state of chaotic, often clamorous disorder.

Sensitive Note

See Chinese.

Etymology

Origin of Chinese fire drill

Probably earlier than 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The daily life of China is much more like a Chinese fire drill than it is a nation acting in unity.

From Time

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.