秀才

xiùcái
  1. (by extension) scholar; intellectual; person of knowledge
  2. (historical) licentiate (scholar who has passed the entry-level examination to study at a college)
  3. (historical) synonym of 孝廉 (xiàolián), a person recommended for a government post by local governors
  4. licentiate (scholar who has passed the entry-level examination to study at a college)
  5. scholar; intellectual; person of knowledge
  6. synonym of 孝廉 (xiàolián), a person recommended for a government post by local governors

Wiktionary

Homographs

秀才 xiùcai
  1. a person who has passed the county level imperial exam (historical)
  2. scholar
  3. skillful writer
  4. fine talent

Entry Composition

1 秀 xiù
  1. (bound form) refined; elegant; graceful; beautiful
  2. (bound form) superior; excellent
  3. (loanword) show
  4. (literary) to grow; to bloom; (of grain crops) to produce ears
=2 才 cái
  1. ability; talent
  2. sb of a certain type
  3. a capable individual
  4. then and only then
  5. just now
  6. (before an expression of quantity) only
=2 才 cái
  1. (variant of 才 cái) just now
  2. (variant of 才 cái) (before an expression of quantity) only

Containing this entry

麴秀才 qūxiùcái
毛秀才 máoxiùcái