Definition

1. Noun:
   • Top laureate in the highest-level examination: In the feudal Vietnamese examination system, "đình khôi" refers to the scholar who achieved the highest rank (first laureate) in the palace examination (thi Đình), the final and most prestigious level.
   • Historical term for the top scholar: An archaic term, synonymous with "đình nguyên," used to denote the candidate ranked first overall in the national mandarin examinations.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy đỗ đình khôi dưới triều vua Tự Đức. (He achieved the title of "đình khôi" under Emperor Tự Đức's reign.)
  • Danh hiệu đình khôi là ước mơ của mọi sĩ tử ngày xưa. (The title of "đình khôi" was the dream of every scholar in the past.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is exclusively used in historical or literary contexts to discuss Vietnam's imperial examination system and its top achievers. It is not used in modern contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Đình nguyên (n): A completely synonymous term for "đình khôi," also meaning the top laureate in the palace examination.
• Trạng nguyên (n): The top laureate in the previous, provincial-level examinations. "Đình khôi" is a higher rank than "trạng nguyên" in the final palace exam.
• Bảng nhãn (n): Second laureate in the palace examination.
• Thám hoa (n): Third laureate in the palace examination.

Synonyms

• Thủ khoa kỳ thi Đình: Top graduate of the palace examination.
• Đình nguyên: First laureate (direct synonym).

Related Idioms

• "Đỗ đình khôi": To pass the palace examination as the top laureate.
  • Cụ tổ nhà tôi từng đỗ đình khôi. (My family's ancestor once passed as the top laureate in the palace exam.)

1. (từ cũ) như đình nguyên