革职 (gézhí) literally combines 革 (gé), meaning 'to remove' or 'to strip', and 职 (zhí), meaning 'office', 'post', or 'position'. Together, they form a formal verb meaning 'to dismiss from office' — specifically, to officially remove someone from a government, military, or organizational post as a disciplinary measure. It implies a formal, often punitive, administrative action rather than voluntary resignation or routine personnel changes.

This term is most commonly used in official, historical, or journalistic contexts — for example, when reporting on corruption investigations, military discipline, or bureaucratic accountability. It carries strong connotations of authority, consequence, and loss of status. While it can apply to any official position, it’s rarely used for private-sector layoffs or corporate HR actions; terms like 解雇 (jiěgù) are more appropriate there. The word is typically transitive and requires an object (e.g., 革职某人), though the object may be omitted if context is clear.