中文中，我们说一个人被解雇了，常常会说到“炒鱿鱼”。那么为什么会存在这种说法呢？

答案很简单，这是因为我们在烹炒鱿鱼的时候，鱿鱼须几乎是一炒就卷起来，用来比喻“卷铺盖走人”非常形象，所以慢慢地，它就成为了“被解雇”和“被开除”的代名词。

在英文中，我们虽然没有 fry squid 这种等同于“失业”的比喻，却也有很多很形象、很地道的近义表达。

01.开除
FireSack （英式）Dismiss （更正式）

• He was fired for being drunk.

  他因为醉酒被开除了。

  
  

• He was sacked for being drunk.

  他因为醉酒被开除了。

  
  

• She didn't want to get sacked.

  她不想被开除。

  
  

• People can be dismissed for misusing the Internet at work.

  人们可能因为在工作中使用网络不当而被开除。

  
  

02.裁员 （更委婉）
Reduce headcount

• When the company was in trouble, the manager announced they would reduce headcount by at least 100 employees.

  公司陷入困境时，经理宣布他们要裁员至少一百人。

  
  

03.开除 （习语）
Give someone the ax

• He was given the ax two days before Christmas.

  圣诞节前两天他被开除了。

  
  

• A: Have you been given the ax before?

  你之前被开除过吗？

  
  

• B: Never, I am the whole package.

  没有，我可是完美员工。

  
  

04.被开除 （俚语）
Get canned

• He is a lousy secretary. He deserves to get canned.

  他是个差劲的秘书，早该被开了。

  
  

• Theoretical physicists do not get canned.

  理论上物理学家不会被开除。

  
  

05.裁员
Lay offLet somebody go

• Many companies don't like to say that they are "laying people off" as it can sound cold and insensitive.

  很多公司不喜欢用“laying people off”这个表达，因为这听起来冷漠,不近人情。

  
  

• If the company is letting people go, they can at least say something nicer.

  如果公司要裁员，至少他们也可以说点更好听的话。