Definition

1. Noun:
   • Provincial examination: "hương thí" refers to the traditional civil service examination held at the provincial level in feudal Vietnam, used to select "cử nhân" (bachelor's degree holders) and "tú tài" (licentiates).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông cụ đã từng tham gia kỳ thi hương thí. (The old man once participated in the provincial examination.)
  • Hương thí là một kỳ thi quan trọng dưới thời phong kiến. (The provincial examination was an important test during the feudal era.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is classified as archaic ("từ cũ; nghĩa cũ"). It is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to discuss Vietnam's traditional Confucian examination system.

Variants and Related Words

• Thi hương: This is the more common synonym for "hương thí", with identical meaning.
• Cử nhân: A successful candidate who passed the "hương thí" at a higher level.
• Tú tài: A successful candidate who passed the "hương thí" at a lower level.

Synonyms

• Concours interprovincial (French loan translation): Interprovincial competition.
• Provincial exam: English translation conveying the meaning.

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically denotes the examination itself, not the venue or the act of taking it. It was held triennially ("cứ ba năm mở một lần").

1. (từ cũ; nghĩa cũ) như thi hương