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炒魷魚
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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See also: 炒鱿鱼
Chinese
Etymology
Originally from Cantonese.
The phrase is metaphorical: “to fry a squid” > “fried squids curl up” > “to roll up the bedclothes and leave” > “to be fired”.
Compare the English phrase to get the sack and the Mandarin phrase 捲鋪蓋／卷铺盖 (juǎn pūgai).
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Pinyin): chǎo yóuyú
- (Zhuyin): ㄔㄠˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
- Cantonese
- (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): caau2 jau4 jyu4-2
- (Taishan, Wiktionary): cau2 yiu3 ngui3*
- Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): cau3 yu2 n2
- Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): 5tshau 6yeu-ng6
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: chǎo yóuyú
- Zhuyin: ㄔㄠˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: chǎo yóuyú
- Wade–Giles: chʻao3 yu2-yü2
- Yale: chǎu yóu-yú
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chao youyu
- Palladius: чао ююй (čao jujuj)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ joʊ̯³⁵ y³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: caau2 jau4 jyu4-2
- Yale: cháau yàuh yú
- Cantonese Pinyin: tsaau2 jau4 jy4-2
- Guangdong Romanization: cao2 yeo4 yu4-2
- Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰaːu̯³⁵ jɐu̯²¹ jyː²¹⁻³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
- Wiktionary: cau2 yiu3 ngui3*
- Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰau⁵⁵ jiu²² ᵑɡui²²⁻²²⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Hakka
- Wu
Verb
炒⫽魷魚 (verb-object)
- (literally) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see 炒 (chǎo), 魷魚 / 鱿鱼 (yóuyú).
- (figurative, slang) to sack someone; to fire someone
- 他知道諸如打工、做生意、求職、炒魷魚這種種而今聽來十分耳熟的字眼嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
- From: 1991, 周佩红, 《一抹心痕》, page 169
- Tā zhīdào zhūrú dǎgōng, zuòshēngyi, qiúzhí, chǎo yóuyú zhè zhǒngzhǒng érjīn tīnglái shífēn ěrshú de zìyǎn ma? [Pinyin]
- Does he know those words very familiar to the ear when he hears them now, such as working on a temporary job, doing business, seeking employment, or getting fired?
他知道诸如打工、做生意、求职、炒鱿鱼这种种而今听来十分耳熟的字眼吗？ [MSC, simp.]- 考績好，你可能獲得加薪與晉陞；考績不好，你便可能喪失晉陞的機會，甚至還可能被炒魷魚。 [MSC, trad.]
- From: 1996, 張慶勳, 《學校組織行為》, page 346
- Kǎojì hǎo, nǐ kěnéng huòdé jiāxīn yǔ jìnshēng; kǎojì bùhǎo, nǐ biàn kěnéng sàngshī jìnshēng de jīhuì, shènzhì hái kěnéng bèi chǎo yóuyú. [Pinyin]
- If your performance assessment is good, you might receive a pay raise and a promotion; if not, you might lose the opportunity of getting promoted and might even be fired.
考绩好，你可能获得加薪与晋升；考绩不好，你便可能丧失晋升的机会，甚至还可能被炒鱿鱼。 [MSC, simp.]- 小乖在不到三個月內，已經換了四個工作，不是被炒魷魚，就是自己不告而別。 [MSC, trad.]
- From: 2001, 吳靜吉, 《害羞·寂寞·愛》 (Shyness, Loneliness and Love), 2nd edition, page 257
- Xiǎoguāi zài bùdào sān ge yuè nèi, yǐjīng huàn le sì ge gōngzuò, bùshì bèi chǎo yóuyú, jiùshì zìjǐ bùgào'érbié. [Pinyin]
- Within less than three months, Xiaoguai has switched jobs four times; if it was not getting fired, then it was him leaving without notice.
小乖在不到三个月内，已经换了四个工作，不是被炒鱿鱼，就是自己不告而别。 [MSC, simp.]
Synonyms
- (to sack someone):
- 停生意 (6din-san1-i5) (Shanghainese, dated)
- 執包袱 / 执包袱 (zap1 baau1 fuk6) (Cantonese)
- 捲鋪蓋 / 卷铺盖 (“to be fired”) (figurative)
- 炒 (chǎo) (slang)
- 解僱 / 解雇 (jiěgù)
- 解聘 (jiěpìn)
- 解職 / 解职 (jiězhí)
- 走路 (zǒulù, “to be fired”) (figurative)
- 辭退 / 辞退 (cítuì)
- 遣散
- 開除 / 开除 (kāichú)
- 革除 (géchú)
- 食無情雞 / 食无情鸡 (sik6 mou4 cing4 gai1) (Cantonese)
Derived terms
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