Skip to main content

Chinese Democracy 

A promise, often made more than once over an extended period of time, which the person is either unwilling or unable to keep.

The phrase originated in November of 1999 when Axl Rose's manager first officially announced the title of the next Guns N' Roses album, expected to release sometime the following year (2000). The album was not released in 2000, but the promise to release it "next year" was repeated then, as it has been subsequently repeated every year since, without result.

By 2003 the title had become a joke in itself. That year punk band The Offspring announced they would be using the title for their own upcoming album; a sort of protest against Axl's endless delays, which was commonly interpreted as a statement of "you snooze, you lose," although none of the band members or their representatives ever turned that particular phrase. After being served with a Cease-And-Desist Order from Axl's attorneys, the band released the album as Splinter.

Chinese Democracy, should it ever actually be released, would be the first album from Guns N' Roses since their 1991 release of Use Your Illusion 1 and Use Your Illusion 2, although many fans claim it would not actually be a Guns N' Roses album despite the use of the name because Axl Rose is the only original member still in the band.
After she caught Tom in bed with another woman for the second time, he swore he would never cheat again, but Lisa realized it was just Chinese Democracy and kicked his ass to the curb.

Danny's father (not-so-affectionately known as 'the drunk') swore up and down that he wouldn't miss Danny's last baseball game of the season like he had missed all the others, but even at ten years old Danny was sharp enough to realize it was just Chinese Democracy, and his father would not be there.

"I've had enough of your Chinese Democracy! You're never going to do it, so stop promising that you will!"
Chinese Democracy mug front
Get the Chinese Democracy mug.
See more merch

Chinese Democracy Syndrome

Chinese Democracy Syndrome (or C.D.S. for short) is a syndrome inwhich an individual tries to make something too "perfect". It's often used as a comical reference to the long awaited Gun N' Roses album Chinese Democracy.
Ted: How's that art project coming along?

Bill: I'll be done with it eventually. I just have a case of Chinese Democracy Syndrome right now.

Chinese Democracy 

A task that is never completed but is worked on for an eternity
damn you know that album that Axle Rose has been working on for the past 12 years, its a fuckin Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy by (=$eth=) January 22, 2009

Chinese Democracy 

A synonym for something that is anticipated and anticipated for years to come, then finally when it comes out, people become ecstatic but then are disappointed when they find out they were waiting years and years for something that is complete shit.
I waited forever to graduate, but after I left school and ended up at a dead-end job flipping hamburgers to pay the rent of a small Detroit apartment infested with fleas, I realized graduation was just Chinese Democracy.

Chinese Democracy 

Billy: "Hey man Chinese Democracy finally came out after 10 years"

Jimmy: "You're such a retard China is a communist nation"
Chinese Democracy by Goose B July 6, 2009

Chinese Democracy Effect

When something long-awaited that's usually in development hell, like a movie, video game, or album, falls short of its built-up hype when it's finally released. Named for the Guns N' Roses album of the same name, which after 15 years was finally released, to mediocre reviews.
I hope Duke Nukem Forever doesn't become a victim to the Chinese Democracy effect.

Chinese Democracy Syndrome

When it takes a person a very long time to complete something that they promised to finish a long time ago.
It's taking me forever to finish this... I think I've got Chinese Democracy Syndrome.