Definition

1. Noun:
   • The second-place winner in a contest or competition, especially a scholarly or literary one. This term originates from the imperial examination system, denoting the candidate who achieved the second-highest rank.
   • The runner-up. In modern, extended usage, it can refer to the second-place finisher in various competitions, such as beauty pageants or talent contests.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong kỳ thi năm ấy, ông ấy đã đỗ á khôi. (In the examination that year, he achieved the rank of á khôi.)
  • Cô ấy giành danh hiệu á khôi trong cuộc thi hoa hậu. (She won the á khôi title in the beauty pageant.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is considered somewhat literary or historical. In contemporary everyday language for sports or games, words like "về nhì" (to come in second) or "người/thí sinh đứng thứ hai" (the second-place contestant) are more common.
• It carries a connotation of high scholarly or artistic achievement, not just general competition.

Variants and Related Words

• Khôi nguyên (n): The top winner; the champion. Historically, the first-place scholar.
• Thám hoa (n): The third-place winner in the highest imperial examination.

Synonyms

• Runner-up
• Second-place winner
• Second laureate

Related Cultural Context

• Historically, á khôi specifically referred to the candidate who came second in the "thi Hương" (Provincial Examination) under Vietnam's feudal examination system. The top scorer was the "Giải nguyên," and the third was the "Thủ khoa." This precise meaning is now largely historical.
• In modern contexts like beauty pageants, the title structure often borrows from this historical terminology, with "Hoa hậu" (Miss) as the winner, "Á hậu 1" (First Runner-up) equivalent to , and "Á hậu 2" (Second Runner-up).

noun

1. the second winner in a contest