China syndrome

noun4

1. •
   A hypothetical kind of catastrophic failure in which a nuclear reactor melts through the floor of its containment system and (if on land) penetrates the Earth's surface, continuing downward as if (from a Western Hemispheric point of view) traveling through the planet toward China.

   • The molten mass did not even fully penetrate the 0.5-cm cladding, confirming tests in Karlsruhe, Germany, and in Idaho, that the "China syndrome" is not a credible possibility. — 2002
2. •
   A specific instance of this type of failure.

   • The report judged the risks of catastrophic nuclear power plant accidents (known as core meltdowns or China syndromes) to be socially acceptable. — 1983
3. •
   A behavior, policy, or situation characteristic of or involving China; an actual or potential catastrophe, especially one involving China.

   • And then there is the China syndrome. […] China now represents about 20% of Korea's total trade. — 2005
4. •
   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.

   • Unlike poliomyelitis, paralysis in China syndrome is symmetrical. In addition, cases are seasonal. — 2006