首くび切きる

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru)

behead; decapitate

Literal beheading; often used in historical or dramatic contexts. The kanji 斬る emphasizes cutting.

侍さむらいが罪ざい人にんの首くびを切きった。
The samurai beheaded the criminal.

2

godan verb (-ru)

fire

; dismiss

; sack

Figurative use meaning to dismiss from a job; colloquial and somewhat blunt. Often written in kana.

彼かれは遅ち刻こくが多おおくて首くびを切きられた。
He was fired for being late too often.
上じょう司しに首くびを切きられそうだ。
I'm about to be sacked by my boss.

Written forms

首くび切きる
Standard kanji spelling for both literal beheading and figurative dismissal.
首くび斬きる
Variant with 斬る emphasizing cutting; mainly for the literal beheading sense.
馘くびきる
Rare kanji specifically for dismissal; 馘 means 'cut off an ear' and is used figuratively for firing.
剄くびきる
Obscure kanji for beheading; not commonly used.

Kanji

首neck, counter for songs and poems
切cut, cutoff, be sharp
斬beheading, kill, murder
馘behead, dismiss
剄beheading

Similar words

解かい雇こする
Formal term for dismissal; 首を切る is colloquial and more direct.
クビにする
Very common casual expression for firing someone; 首を切る is slightly more vivid.

Etymology

Compound of 首 (neck) and 切る (cut). The figurative dismissal sense likely derives from the image of cutting off someone's head, i.e., removing them from the organization.