Where Did the Term "Like a Bull in a China Shop" Come From?
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (190011)
Boise, Idaho
January 22, 2026 2:24pm CST
This phrase playing on being clumsy in a delicate situation many have come from real- life events in 17th- century London. Where loose bulls would wonder into shops that sold fine porcelain (China) and cause a lot of chaos.
It was first recorded in Frederick Marryat's 1834 novel entitled Jacob Faithful, which successfully portrayed the vivid image of these large, strong animals wrecking delicate holloware(plates, etc.).
It is rather humorous to think of this in today's terms.
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6 responses
@Fleura (35122)
• United Kingdom
22 Jan
I've never really thought about where the saying came from. It could just have been something that someone was reported saying and it caught on. Like the saying 'as much use as a chocolate teapot', first reported in the 1970s as one of the insults aimed at players in a game of football.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (190011)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Jan
I hadn't either until just the other day. Funny how things get started.
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@Deepizzaguy (122325)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
22 Jan
I have heard of that term describing a huge football player running on a football field running over would be tacklers and getting knocked down by the football runner.
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@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
23 Jan
Like Fleur, I've seen the videos of the guy that has a bison that comes into the house and rides in the car. Interesting about the bull in the china shop.
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