zeon3 si6進士进士
Jyutpingzeon3 si6
Yalejeun sih
Definition
A successful candidate in the highest imperial civil service examination in ancient China.
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How it's used
Historical terms like this are almost exclusively used in period dramas or when discussing history. It carries a sense of prestige and high social status, as passing this exam was the ultimate goal for scholars in the imperial system. It is rarely used in modern daily life except to describe someone who is highly educated or successful in a traditional sense.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
After he passed the imperial examination, he became an official.
Which scholar in ancient times didn't want to pass the imperial examination?
Related words
Common phrases
to pass the imperial examination
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.



