折桂

zhéguì
  1. to win the laurels
  2. to pass an imperial examination
  3. to win a championship

CEDICT

  1. (figurative) to obtain first place in an examination or competition; to win the laurels
  2. (literary, figurative, historical) to pass the imperial examination
  3. to obtain first place in an examination or competition; to win the laurels
  4. to pass the imperial examination

Wiktionary

晉代郤詵曾以「桂林之一枝」對晉武帝比喻自己舉賢良對策的才能，為天下第一。見《晉書．卷五二．郤詵傳》。後人遂以折桂比喻科舉及第。唐．溫庭筠〈春日將欲東歸寄新及第苗紳先輩〉詩：「猶喜故人先折桂，自憐羈客尚飄蓬。」也作「攀桂」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

=1 折 zhé
  1. to break
  2. to fracture
  3. to snap
  4. to suffer loss
  5. to bend
  6. to twist
  7. to turn
  8. to change direction
  9. convinced
  10. to convert into (currency)
  11. discount
  12. rebate
  13. tenth (in price)
  14. classifier for theatrical scenes
  15. to fold
  16. accounts book
=1 折 zhé
  1. variant of 折 zhé
  2. to fold
2 桂 guì
  1. cassia
  2. laurel

Containing this entry

蟾宮折桂 chángōngzhéguì
  1. lit. plucking a branch of osmanthus from the Toad Palace (i.e. the moon)
  2. fig. to succeed in the imperial examination

Related entries

及第 jídì to pass an imperial examination