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A 'Chinese fire drill' is a prank, or perhaps an expression of high spirits, that was popular in the United States during the 1960s. It is performed when a car is stopped at a red traffic light, at which point all of the car's occupants get out, run around the car, and return to their own (or go to other) seats. Chinese Fire Drills are sometimes executed when one needs to get something from the trunk of a car. Occasionally, if one of the participants is late to get inside the car, the others might drive off without him/her. People have reported this phenomenon as early as the 1940s, so it is possible that the phrase was current at the time, but simply was not written down that early.
The term is also used as a figure of speech to mean any large, ineffective, and chaotic exercise. In this usage, it is often shortened to just "fire drill," omitting any offensive insinuations.

Contents

Origins of the term

Other uses

Related Activities

Popular Culture

Origins of the term

The term is alleged to have originated in the early 1900s, during a naval incident wherein a ship manned by British officers and a Chinese crew set up a fire drill for fighting a fire in the engine room. In the event of a fire the crew was to form a bucket brigade, drawing water from the starboard side, taking it to the engine room and throwing it on the "fire." Because water would accumulate in the engine room, another crew was to take the excess thrown water and haul it back up to the main deck, and then heave it over the port side (in order to bail it out).
When the drill was called the first moments went according to plan, but then orders became confused in translation. The crew for the bucket brigade began drawing the water from the starboard side, running over to the port side, and then throwing the water over, and so by-passing the engine room completely. Thus the expression "Chinese fire drill" entered the English language as meaning a large confused action by individuals accomplishing nothing. [1]
The term is traditionally explained as coming from a British tendency around the time of World War I to use the adjective ''Chinese'' as a slur, implying "confused, disorganized, or inferior." [2] Other "Chinese" slurs of the day included "Chinese national anthem" (an explosion) and "Chinese puzzle" (one with no solution). In this context it is related to the stereotype of the Chinese as being "inscrutable", hard to judge, and difficult to understand, all relating to the British experience of a sophisticated but distinctly alien culture. There are earlier isolated examples which were based on ideas of the inferiority of the Chinese.
Several expressions in common use in aviation since World War I, such as "Chinese landing" (a clumsy landing) and "Chinese ace" (an inept pilot), derive from the English phrase ''One Wing Low'', a legitimate technical description of flying and landing technique taken to resemble a Chinese name. Regardless of its origin, it is considered offensive by some. [3] [4]
The term to refer to the car prank first appeared in print during the 1970s, though several people have attested to this usage as far back as the 1940s.
The term is by some considered derogatory to people of Asian descent.

Other uses

Some people in the U.S. use the term ''Chinese fire drill'' to refer to a driver changing over one or more lanes too fast.[5]
In an episode of the sitcom, Full House, characters D.J., Stephanie and Michelle Tanner, along with Kimmy Gibbler, play a game called "Ring Around the Chevy", using the same rules. However, the four get locked out of the vehicle when they play.

Related Activities

'Chinese Fire Drill (distinctions):' Comes in two varieties, Mandarin & Cantonese. The classic Mandarin is what most consider a normal Chinese Fire Drill, consisting of exiting the car, running around it, and getting back in. The Cantonese is slightly different, taking place without opening any doors of the car and often keeping the car in motion. An extremely dangerous revamp is to include the driver in this method.

'Korean Fire Drill:' Executed with more than one car. This is seen when one car stops behind another at a red light and the occupants of both get out and switch cars (often including the drivers). Slightly more reckless than any of the the standard Chinese varieties.

'Mongolian Fire Drill:' Performed on the subway. When the train comes to a stop, participants exit through the doors and re-enter the car at another set of doors. Often, each goes out a different door (switching seats is also an option here). A common variation on this is to leave one car and get back on the train at the next car down.

Popular Culture

There is a song called ''Chinese Firedrill'' on the Mike Watt CD, Ball-Hog or Tugboat?.
On the Simpsons episode The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson, Bart lights a firecracker in Chinatown and puts it back in the box. All the fireworks then start going off, and the shop owner runs outside screaming "Chinese fire drill! Serious this time!"