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首が繋がる (くびがつながる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

首くびが繋つながる

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

keep one's job; avoid being fired

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'one's neck remains connected', used when someone narrowly avoids dismissal or layoff.

今こん回かいのリストラでは、どうにか首くびが繋つながった。
In this round of layoffs, I somehow managed to keep my job.
あのミスで

首くび

が

繋つな

がる

と

は

思おも

わ

なかっ

た

。

I didn't think I'd still have a job after that mistake.

Kanji

首neck, counter for songs and poems
繋tie, fasten, chain

Similar words

首くびになる
Means 'to be fired' or 'to get the sack', the opposite outcome of 首が繋がる.
首くびを切きる
Means 'to fire someone' (from the employer's perspective), while 首が繋がる is from the employee's perspective of avoiding dismissal.

Etymology

The expression combines 首 (neck) with 繋がる (to be connected), metaphorically likening job security to one's neck remaining attached to the body. The exact origin is uncertain, but it belongs to a family of Japanese idioms using 首 to represent employment status.