sik6 mou4 cing4 gai1食無情雞食无情鸡
Jyutpingsik6 mou4 cing4 gai1
Yalesihk mòuh chìhng gāi
Definition
To be fired from a job; to receive a pink slip.
colloquialworkfood
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of coldness and lack of empathy from the employer. It originates from the tradition of a boss serving chicken at a company dinner to signal that an employee is being let go, as the chicken head would point toward the person being dismissed. Nowadays, it is used broadly to describe any sudden or heartless termination of employment.
Examples
He was fired after working for only a few months.
Are you worried about getting fired at work?
Related words
Common phrases
to be suddenly fired
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase in a formal or professional setting, as it is strictly colloquial and carries a negative, slightly dramatic tone. It is meant for casual conversation among friends or colleagues, not for discussing your career path with a recruiter or manager.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
