Penny: How come you didn’t go into work today.
Sheldon: I’m taking a sabbatical, because I won’t kow-tow to mediocre minds.
Penny: So you got canned, huh?
Sheldon: Theoretical physicists do not get canned. But yeah.
taking a sabbatical
sabbatical
【释】a period of paid leave granted to a university teacher for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked.
公休
【例】she＇s away on sabbatical.
她正在休公休假中
【例】Perhaps I should have said : I 'm taking a sabbatical．
也许我应该这么说“我正在休公休假中”
kow-tow
【释】act in an excessively subservient manner
由中文“磕头”音译而来。这里指Sheldon修饰自己对新老板的嘲讽，不向平庸的头脑臣服。
got canned
can
【释】North American informal dismiss from a job
北美对失业的不正式说法
【例】he was canned because of a tiff over promotion.
他因为升职而引发的争吵而被解雇。
got canned
【释】'To get canned' means to lose your job. We also say to get fired or sacked or dismissed usually without prior notice.
被解雇，被炒鱿鱼
【例】he got canned from his job for slacking off too much.
他因为懒惰而被解雇
【例】Did you hear about Bobby? He got canned yesterday.
你听说Bobby了吗？他昨天被解雇了
作者@MJE美剧口语联盟（麦田精注 聪*elephant审校）