How do you use "Pink slip" in a sentence?

Half the department got pink-slipped during the restructuring. I'm worried about getting a pink slip if sales don't improve. She got her pink slip on a Friday afternoon — didn't even see it coming.

Pink slip

Q: What does "Pink slip" mean?

A notice of termination from a job; to be fired. Getting a pink slip means you've been fired or laid off. The term is so iconic in American culture that it's become a verb — 'to be pink-slipped.' It carries a sense of sudden, unwelcome news and is often associated with corporate layoffs and downsizing.

American Slang Term American ★★★★☆ Common informal

Practice this with flashcards, quizzes & audio on WordLoci →

Meaning: A notice of termination from a job; to be fired.

解雇通知。被炒鱿鱼。

Una notificación de despido; ser despedido.

解雇通知。クビになること。

해고 통지서. 해고당하는 것.

Getting a pink slip means you've been fired or laid off. The term is so iconic in American culture that it's become a verb — 'to be pink-slipped.' It carries a sense of sudden, unwelcome news and is often associated with corporate layoffs and downsizing.

收到pink slip意味着你被解雇或裁员了。这个词在美国文化中如此标志性，以至于变成了动词——'to be pink-slipped'（被裁掉）。它带有突如其来的坏消息的意味，经常与企业裁员和缩减规模联系在一起。

Recibir un «pink slip» significa que te han despedido o que te han incluido en un expediente de regulación. El término es tan icónico en la cultura estadounidense que se ha convertido en verbo: «to be pink-slipped». Transmite una sensación de noticia repentina e indeseada y se asocia frecuentemente con despidos masivos y reestructuraciones empresariales.

「pink slip」をもらうとは、解雇またはリストラされたという意味。この言葉はアメリカ文化であまりにも象徴的で、動詞にもなっている——「to be pink-slipped（ピンクスリップされる）」。突然の望まない知らせというニュアンスがあり、企業のリストラや人員削減と結びつけられることが多い。

Pink slip을 받는다는 것은 해고되거나 감원되었다는 뜻이다. 이 표현은 미국 문화에서 너무 유명해서 동사로도 쓰인다 — 'pink-slipped되다.' 갑작스럽고 반갑지 않은 소식이라는 느낌을 담고 있으며, 기업 감원 및 구조조정과 자주 연관된다.

Examples

Half the department got pink-slipped during the restructuring.
重组期间部门一半的人都被裁了。
A la mitad del departamento le dieron la carta de despido durante la reestructuración.
リストラで部署の半分がクビになった。
구조조정 때 부서의 절반이 해고당했다.
I'm worried about getting a pink slip if sales don't improve.
如果销售业绩不改善，我担心会收到解雇通知。
Me preocupa que me despidan si las ventas no mejoran.
売上が改善しないと解雇通知をもらうんじゃないかと心配だ。
매출이 개선되지 않으면 해고 통지를 받을까 봐 걱정이야.
She got her pink slip on a Friday afternoon — didn't even see it coming.
她周五下午收到了解雇通知——完全没有预料到。
Le dieron la carta de despido un viernes por la tarde: ni lo vio venir.
彼女は金曜の午後に解雇通知を受け取った——全く予想していなかった。
그녀는 금요일 오후에 해고 통지를 받았다 — 전혀 예상 못 했다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, firing, corporate

Tone: serious, anxious

✓ Do Say

He got his pink slip yesterday.
他昨天被解雇了。
Le dieron la carta de despido ayer.
彼は昨日クビになった。
그는 어제 해고 통지를 받았어.
Pink slips are going around — watch your back.
裁员通知满天飞——小心点。
Están repartiendo despidos: ándate con ojo.
解雇通知が出回ってるらしい——気をつけろ。
해고 통지가 돌고 있어 — 조심해.

✗ Don't Say

Don't confuse with the vehicle title document also called a 'pink slip' in California
不要和加州的车辆产权证明文件（也叫'pink slip'）混淆
No confundir con el documento de titularidad de un vehículo, también llamado «pink slip» en California
カリフォルニアで「pink slip」と呼ばれる車両の権利証書と混同しないこと
캘리포니아에서 'pink slip'이라고도 불리는 차량 소유권 서류와 혼동하지 말 것

Origin & History

Dating to the early 20th century, some companies literally used pink-colored paper for termination notices. Whether this is the definitive origin is debated, but the association stuck and became universal American slang.

Cultural Context

Era: Early 20th century

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal