Definition

1. Verb:
   • To remove from a position, to relieve of duties: The primary meaning refers to the act of officially removing someone from their job, position, or office, often due to poor performance, misconduct, or organizational restructuring.
   • To dismiss, to discharge: It implies a formal termination of employment or appointment, carrying a sense of authority and finality.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Giám đốc quyết định cất chức trưởng phòng vì thiếu trách nhiệm. (The director decided to dismiss the department head due to a lack of responsibility.)
  • Sau vụ bê bối, ông ấy đã bị cất chức. (After the scandal, he was relieved of his position.)
  • Hội đồng quản trị có thể cất chức tổng giám đốc nếu công ty thua lỗ. (The board of directors can discharge the CEO if the company operates at a loss.)

Advanced Usage

• "bị cất chức": to be dismissed/removed from office. This passive construction is very common.

  • Viên chức đó bị cất chức vì tham nhũng. (That official was dismissed for corruption.)

• The action is typically performed by a person or body in authority (e.g., a boss, a board, a government) upon a subordinate.

Variants and Related Words

• Cách chức: This is a very close synonym, also meaning "to dismiss from a position." It is often used interchangeably with "cất chức."
• Bãi nhiệm: To remove from an elected or appointed office. It often applies to formal public positions.
• Sa thải: To fire, to sack. This term is more general for terminating employment and can be used outside of formal office/position contexts.
• Miễn nhiệm: To relieve of duties. This can sometimes be a more neutral or voluntary term than "cất chức."

Synonyms

• Remove (from office): To take someone out of their position.
• Dismiss: To send away from a job, especially officially.
• Discharge: To officially tell someone to leave a job or position.
• Relieve (of duties/command): To formally take away someone's responsibilities.

Related Phrases

• Cất chức, cách chức: A common paired phrase emphasizing the act of dismissal.
  • Ông ta bị cất chức, cách chức khỏi mọi chức vụ. (He was dismissed and removed from all positions.)

Notes on Meaning

• "Cất chức" carries a formal and serious tone. It is not used for casual job quitting or mutual separation.
• The word often implies a negative reason for the removal (incompetence, fault, scandal) rather than a neutral restructuring.
• It is specific to positions of duty, office, or authority (chức vụ), not general labor jobs. For firing a regular worker, "sa thải" or "đuổi việc" is more common.

1. Remove, relieve (from position), dismiss, discharge