Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'be fired' depends on the level of formality and the nuance you want to convey. The most common and neutral term is 首になる (kubi ni naru), literally 'become a neck,' which is widely used in everyday conversation. More formal or written contexts may use 解雇される (kaiko sareru), while casual or slang expressions include クビになる (kubi ni naru, often written in katakana) or 馘になる (kubi ni naru, with a specific kanji). There are also euphemistic or indirect expressions like 会社を辞めさせられる (kaisha o yame saserareru, 'be made to quit the company').
To express being dismissed from a job in a neutral, everyday manner.
The most common and natural way to say 'be fired' in Japanese. It literally means 'become a neck,' referring to the idea of being 'beheaded' from a job. Suitable for most informal and semi-formal situations.
彼は仕事でミスをして首になった。
He made a mistake at work and got fired.
首になるのが怖いです。
I'm afraid of being fired.
A variant of 首になる often written in katakana for emphasis or in casual contexts. It carries the same meaning but can feel slightly more colloquial or emphatic.
遅刻ばかりしてたらクビになるよ。
If you keep being late, you'll get fired.
An alternative kanji writing for 首になる, using the character 馘 which specifically means 'beheading' or 'dismissal.' It is less common and may appear in literary or older texts.
不況のあおりで彼は馘になった。
He was fired due to the recession.
To express being fired in formal, business, or legal contexts.
The standard formal term for 'be fired' or 'be dismissed.' It is the passive form of 解雇する (kaiko suru, 'to dismiss'). Used in official announcements, contracts, and news reports.
彼は会社を解雇された。
He was fired from the company.
不当解雇で裁判を起こした。
He filed a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal.
A formal term meaning 'be dismissed from one's post,' often used for public officials or in disciplinary contexts. It implies a more severe or official removal.
汚職で免職された公務員が逮捕された。
The public official who was dismissed for corruption was arrested.
A very formal term for dismissal, typically used for high-ranking officials or in legal/political contexts. It suggests removal from an appointed position.
大臣が罷免された。
The minister was dismissed.
To express being fired in a softer, less direct way, often to avoid the harshness of 'fired.'
Literally 'be made to quit the company.' This is a causative-passive form that implies forced resignation, often used when the dismissal is not officially labeled as firing but is effectively the same.
パワハラで会社を辞めさせられた。
I was forced to quit my job due to harassment.
Means 'lose one's job.' It is a more general and less direct way to say someone was fired, focusing on the result rather than the act of dismissal.
景気後退で多くの人が職を失った。
Many people lost their jobs due to the economic downturn.
From 'restructuring,' this is a common euphemism for being laid off or fired as part of corporate downsizing. It often implies it's not due to personal fault.
父がリストラされて、家族で引っ越した。
My father got laid off, and the family moved.
To express being fired in very informal, slangy, or rough speech.
Literally 'have one's neck cut,' a more vivid and slightly rougher version of 首になる. It emphasizes the action of the employer.
あいつ、また遅刻して首を切られたらしい。
I heard that guy got fired again for being late.
An idiomatic expression meaning 'be discarded' or 'be gotten rid of,' like an old tool. It implies being treated as useless and fired unceremoniously.
長年勤めたのに、あっさりお払い箱になった。
Even though I worked there for years, I was unceremoniously fired.
Do not directly translate 'be fired' as 火をつけられる (hi o tsukerareru) or similar. That means 'be set on fire.' Always use the idiomatic expressions above.
首になる is the everyday term, while 解雇される is formal and often used in legal or business contexts. Use 首になる in casual conversation, but switch to 解雇される when discussing official employment matters or writing formally.
Many expressions for 'be fired' use the passive voice (される, させられる) to indicate the action is done to the subject. This aligns with Japanese preference for passive constructions when the agent is not the focus.