SunnySideUp Posted June 24, 2018 at 10:30 AM Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 at 10:30 AM I came across this term in a new text book I'm working with. While other expressions such as 拉肚子sort of made sense when I looked them up, I'm still at a loss as to how "to fry a squid" came to mean "to fire someone." Does anyone know the origins of this expression - and how to find out when it means stir-fried squid instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted June 24, 2018 at 10:38 AM Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 at 10:38 AM I was told it was because it olden times when a servant got fired they rolled up their bedding to leave, and a fried squid rolls up the same way. No cite and may be completely apocryphal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnySideUp Posted June 24, 2018 at 03:09 PM Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 at 03:09 PM Thanks, Jim : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted June 24, 2018 at 05:56 PM Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 at 05:56 PM I guess it's similar to how "to fire someone" came to mean "to fire someone". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QAQo. Posted June 24, 2018 at 09:07 PM Report Share Posted June 24, 2018 at 09:07 PM 炒someone 鱿鱼 Someone is fired. someone 被炒鱿鱼 Someone is fired. someone 炒鱿鱼 Someone fries a squid. someone 吃炒鱿鱼 Someone eats stir-fried squid. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heifeng Posted June 25, 2018 at 02:03 PM Report Share Posted June 25, 2018 at 02:03 PM To supplement your textbook readings look up 卷铺盖 (as Jim explained above) and then how it relates to 炒鱿鱼 Links: https://baike.baidu.com/item/卷铺盖 http://bbs.tianya.cn/post-329-548684-1.shtml : 天天粤语【炒鱿鱼】 You will know it does mean stir-fried squid when the context is about food and eating (look here if interested in recipes...) rather than employment and someone getting the boot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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