炒魷魚

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 炒魷魚 (Cantonese)
• 炒魷魚 (Written Standard Chinese^?)

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).

炒⫽魷魚 (verb-object)

1. (literally) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see 炒 (chǎo),‎ 魷魚 / 鱿鱼 (yóuyú).
2. (figurative, slang) to sack someone; to fire someone

   我被炒魷魚了。／我被炒鱿鱼了。  ―  Wǒ bèi chǎo yóuyú le.  ―  I've been fired.

   炒老闆魷魚／炒老板鱿鱼  ―  chǎo lǎobǎn yóuyú  ―  (humorous) to resign (literally, “to fire the boss”)

   • 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.]
     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.]

     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?

     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?

   • 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.]
     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.]

     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.

     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.

   • 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.]
     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.]

     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.

     Within less than three months, Xiaoguai has switched jobs four times; if it was not getting fired, then it was him leaving without notice.

• (to sack someone):