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Definition 2024

See also: 炒鱿鱼

	saute; pan-fry; to fry saute; pan-fry; to fry; fried	squid
trad. (炒魷魚)	炒	魷魚
simp. (炒鱿鱼)	炒	鱿鱼
Literally: “to fry squid”.

炒魷魚

Used other than as an idiom: see 炒,‎ 魷魚.
(slang) to sack someone; to fire someone
我被炒魷魚了。 / 我被炒鱿鱼了。 ― Wǒ bèi chǎo yóuyú le. ― I've been fired.

Originally from Cantonese.

The phrase is metaphorical: “to fry a squid” > “fried squids curl up” > “to roll up the bedclothes and leave” > “to be fired”.

Compare the English phrase to get the sack.

Mandarin

(Pinyin): chǎo yóuyú

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄠˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
Cantonese

(Guangzhou, Jyutping): caau² jau⁴ jyu^4-2

(Taishan, Wiktionary): cau² yiu³ ngui^3*
Wu (Wiktionary): tshau (T2) + hhieu hhngg (T3)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
  - Pinyin: chǎo yóuyú
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄠˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chao youyu
  - IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ i̯oʊ̯³⁵ y³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: caau² jau⁴ jyu^4-2
  - Yale: cháau yàuh yú
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsaau² jau⁴ jy^4-2
  - IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɑːu̯³⁵ jɐu̯²¹ jyː²¹⁻³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: cau² yiu³ ngui^3*
  - IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰau⁵⁵ ʒiu²² ᵑgui²²⁻²²⁵/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: tshau (T2) + hhieu hhngg (T3)
  - IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔ⁴⁴ ɦiɜ²² ɦŋ̍⁴⁴/