tú tài
Definition
Noun (Historical):
- A successful candidate in the provincial imperial examinations: In feudal Vietnam, a "tú tài" was a scholar who passed the provincial-level civil service exam, ranking below the "cử nhân" (bachelor).
- A holder of the Baccalaureate degree: During the French colonial period, "tú tài" referred to a person who passed the Baccalaureate exam, equivalent to completing secondary education.
Noun (Modern, specific context):
- The Baccalaureate exam itself: The term can also refer to the diploma or the examination for the French-style Baccalaureate.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông nội tôi từng là một tú tài thời xưa. (My grandfather was a tú tài scholar in the old days.)
- Năm ấy, ông ấy đỗ tú tài. (That year, he passed the Baccalaureate.)
- Kỳ thi tú tài rất quan trọng. (The Baccalaureate exam was very important.)
Advanced Usage
"Tú tài văn": Baccalaureate in Arts/Literature.
- Bà ấy có bằng tú tài văn. (She has a Baccalaureate in Arts.)
"Tú tài toán": Baccalaureate in Mathematics.
- Tấm bằng tú tài toán mở ra nhiều cơ hội. (A Baccalaureate in Mathematics opened many opportunities.)
Variants and Related Words
Tú tài I: Part I of the Baccalaureate (typically taken after the 11th grade in the old system).
- Sau khi thi đậu tú tài I, học sinh học lên lớp 12. (After passing the tú tài I, students moved to 12th grade.)
Tú tài II: Part II of the Baccalaureate (the final secondary school exam).
- Kỳ thi tú tài II quyết định việc tốt nghiệp. (The tú tài II exam determined graduation.)
Synonyms
- Baccalaureate holder: A person who has passed the Baccalaureate exam.
- Secondary school graduate: (In the colonial context) A person who completed the highest level of secondary education.
Related Terms
- Cử nhân: Bachelor's degree holder; a higher academic rank than "tú tài" in both the imperial and modern systems.
- Thi hương: The provincial imperial examinations.
- Tốt nghiệp trung học: To graduate from high school (modern equivalent).