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

晋代郄诜曾以「桂林之一枝」对晋武帝比喻自己举贤良对策的才能，为天下第一。见《晋书．卷五二．郄诜传》。后人遂以折桂比喻科举及第。唐．温庭筠〈春日将欲东归寄新及第苗绅先辈〉诗：「犹喜故人先折桂，自怜羁客尚飘蓬。」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

蟾宫折桂 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