Translation guide
This guide covers how to express the concept of losing one's job in Japanese, from being fired or laid off to quitting or a job ending naturally. It includes common verbs, nouns, and euphemisms, with notes on formality and context.
Expressing that someone was fired from their job, often due to performance or conduct.
Literally 'to become neck', this is the most common and colloquial way to say 'to be fired'. It can be used in casual conversation.
彼は遅刻が多くて首になった。
He was fired for being late too often.
A formal term meaning 'to be dismissed' or 'to be discharged'. Used in official contexts or news.
会社は業績悪化のため、従業員を解雇した。
The company dismissed employees due to poor performance.
Noun form of 'firing'. Often used in phrases like クビだ (You're fired!) or クビを切る (to fire someone).
今日、上司にクビだと言われた。
Today my boss told me I'm fired.
A very formal and somewhat dated term for dismissal, often used in legal or business documents.
彼は不正行為により馘首された。
He was dismissed for misconduct.
Expressing job loss due to company restructuring, downsizing, or economic reasons, not personal fault.
From 'restructuring', this is the most common term for being laid off. It implies the company is cutting jobs.
父がリストラされて、家族は大変だった。
My father was laid off and it was tough for the family.
A formal term for 'layoff' or 'redundancy dismissal', often used in legal or business contexts.
不況のため、多くの企業が整理解雇を行った。
Due to the recession, many companies carried out layoffs.
Expressing voluntarily leaving a job.
The most common verb for 'to quit' a job. Can be used in casual and polite forms.
来月、会社を辞めるつもりです。
I plan to quit my job next month.
A formal term for 'to resign' or 'to retire' from a job. Used in official announcements.
彼は一身上の都合で退職した。
He resigned for personal reasons.
Literally 'to submit a resignation letter'. A common phrase for formally resigning.
部長に辞表を出した。
I handed in my resignation to the department head.
Expressing that a job ended because a contract expired or a project finished, without negative connotation.
Means 'contract expires'. Used for fixed-term employment.
契約が切れて、仕事がなくなった。
My contract ended and I lost my job.
Formal term for 'expiration of term of office' or 'completion of contract'.
任期満了により退任する。
I will step down upon expiration of my term.
Expressing job loss in a softer or indirect way, often to avoid bluntness.
Literally 'to lose one's job'. A neutral and somewhat formal expression.
不況で多くの人が職を失った。
Many people lost their jobs due to the recession.
A casual way to say 'job disappears' or 'lose one's job'. Can be used in everyday speech.
会社が倒産して、仕事がなくなった。
The company went bankrupt and I lost my job.
A humorous or ironic way to say 'to be relieved of one's duties' or 'to be let go'. Literally 'to be released from service'.
プロジェクトが終わって、お役御免になった。
The project ended and I was let go (relieved of my duties).
首になる is casual and commonly used in daily conversation. 解雇される is formal and often appears in written documents or news. Use 首になる with friends, and 解雇される in official contexts.
Do not translate 'lose one's job' directly as 仕事をなくす without context; it can sound unnatural. Instead, use 職を失う for a neutral tone or specify the reason (fired, laid off, etc.).
Means 'workforce reduction' or 'downsizing'. Often used as a reason for layoffs.
会社は人員削減を発表した。
The company announced workforce reductions.