出局

• Pinyin: chū jú
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = to exit; 局 = 尸 + 句 = game/bureau/situation

Meaning

To be out; to be eliminated; to be knocked out (of a competition).

Originally a baseball/sports term meaning 'out.' Now widely used for any form of elimination from competitions, games, or even professional situations like being fired.

Examples

1. 这支球队在四分之一决赛中出局了。 This team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
2. 三振出局！投手表现太棒了。 Strikeout! The pitcher performed brilliantly.
3. 公司裁员，他不幸出局了。 The company laid off staff, and unfortunately he was let go.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competitions, business

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 卫冕冠军爆冷出局，让所有人大吃一惊。(The defending champion was shockingly eliminated, surprising everyone.)
• 这轮面试我出局了，没关系还有下次。(I was eliminated in this round of interviews — no worries, there's always next time.)

Don't Say

• 出局回家 (In sports, 出局 already implies leaving — no need to add 回家)

Origin & History

From English baseball term 'out.' 出 (exit) + 局 (game/situation) = eliminated from the game.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal