折桂

Chinese
 
tenth (in price); to break; to fold; to turn; broken (as of rope, stick)
 Cinnamonum cassia; Guangxi Autonomous Region (abbrev.)
simp. and trad.
(折桂)		 折 桂
Literally: “to break off a sprig of osmanthus”.

Etymology

This figurative term has its origin in Xi Shen (郤詵) of the Jin dynasty (265–420), who self-deprecatingly referred to himself before the emperor as:

「桂林一枝、昆山片玉」 [MSC, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
“桂林一枝、昆山片玉” [MSC, simp.]
“guìlín yī zhī, Kūnshān piàn yù” [Pinyin]
“a sprig from an osmanthus grove, a chip of jade from Kunshan”

Pronunciation

Verb

折桂

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

Derived terms
  • 折桂攀蟾
  • 攀蟾折桂
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