Kick the bucket Meaning in English
expression
ˈkɪk/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈbəkət/, /ˈbəkɪt
KIK-thuh-BUH-kit
kˈɪk/ /ðə, ði/ /bˈʌkɪt
KIK-thuh-BUK-it
Definition
An informal and humorous way to say 'to die'.
Usage & Nuances
Very informal or humorous—used when the subject is not too serious, among friends, or to lighten the mood. Should not be used in formal, respectful, or sensitive situations. Often appears in jokes or stories.
Spanish: estirar la pata - morir (coloquial)Portuguese (BR): bater as botas - morrer (informal)Portuguese (PT): bater as botas - morrer (informal)Chinese (Simplified): 翘辫子 - 去世 (口语)Chinese (Traditional): 翹辮子 - 去世 (口語)Hindi: दम तोड़ना (अफसाना/मजाकिया)Arabic: قضى نحبه - توفي (عامية)Bengali: দুনিয়া ছেড়ে চলে যাওয়া - মারা যাওয়া (হাস্যরসে)Russian: сыграть в ящик - отбросить конькиJapanese: くたばる - ポックリいくVietnamese: đi chầu ông bà - qua đời (hài hước)Korean: 뒈지다 - 죽다 (농담이나 비격식)Turkish: tahtalı köyü boylamak - nalları dikmekUrdu: ٹک ٹک کر جانا - مر جانا (مزاحیہ انداز میں)Indonesian: mencabut nyawa - mampus (gaul, bercanda)
Example Sentences
When someone kicks the bucket, it means they have died.
basic
My neighbor's dog kicked the bucket last night.
basic
People sometimes use 'kick the bucket' instead of 'die.'
basic
He acts like he'll live forever, but one day he'll kick the bucket like everyone else.
natural
Nobody wants to kick the bucket young.
natural
They bought a vacation home right before they kicked the bucket—at least they enjoyed it a little!
natural