無情雞
Chinese
| to be merciless; to be ruthless; to be heartless | fowl; chicken | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (無情雞/無情鷄) | 無情 | 雞/鷄 | |
| simp. (无情鸡) | 无情 | 鸡 | |
| Literally: “merciless chicken”. | |||
Etymology
According to customs in southern China, on the dinner party that an employer holds for the employees before the Chinese New Year (尾牙 (wěiyá)), chicken is a common dish. When the employer decides to dismiss someone after Chinese New Year, he/she may point the chicken head at that employee or give a piece of chicken to him/her as a hint.
Pronunciation
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