解雇
kaiko[ka̠iko̞]
The English phrase 'dismissal' is translated into Japanese as 解雇 (kaiko).
解雇 refers to the act of sending someone away, specifically regarding the termination of employment. It is the standard term used in legal, business and formal contexts to describe firing an employee.
Meaning: act of sending someone away (noun)
Which one should you use?
解雇 specifically implies an involuntary dismissal initiated by an employer.
How do you pronounce it?
kaiko
Did you know?
- While 解雇 is the legal term, Japanese employees often use the phrase リストラ (risutora), a shortening of 'restructuring', as a euphemism for dismissal.
- In Japanese business culture, an employer might use the softer term 退職 (taishoku) to describe a departure, even if the dismissal was involuntary, to save 'face' for both parties.
- The word 解雇 (kaiko) is composed of two characters: 解 meaning 'untie' or 'dissolve' and 雇 meaning 'hire'.
Examples in context
- 彼は会社から解雇されました。He was fired from the company.
- 突然の解雇はとてもショックでした。totsuzen no kaiko wa totemo shokku deshita.The sudden dismissal was a great shock.
- 不当な解雇に対して訴えを起こした。futo na kaiko ni taishite uttae o okoshita.I filed a lawsuit against the unfair dismissal.
- 彼は解雇を避けられませんでした。kare wa kaiko o sakeraremasen deshita.He could not avoid the dismissal.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking about a former coworker in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui佐藤さんはどうなったの？Satou-san wa dou natta no?What happened to Mr. Sato?
- 蓮 Ren残念ながら、解雇が決まったらしいよ。Zannen nagara, kaiko ga kimatta rashii yo.Unfortunately, it seems his dismissal has been decided.
- 結衣 Yuiそんな、信じられないわ。Sonna, shinjirarenai wa.No, I can't believe it.
- 蓮 Ren本当に、彼も困っているだろうね。Hontou ni, kare mo komatte iru darou ne.Truly, he must be struggling too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 解雇, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
