会试 (huì shì) — (historical) metropolitan examination in imperial China

Definition

A stage in the imperial examination (科举) system, held in the capital after the provincial exam (乡试). Passing candidates were called 贡士, who could then take the palace exam (殿试).

noun
(historical) metropolitan examination in imperial China

Examples

  • ，会试。
    Zài míng qīng shí qī, huì shì měi sān nián jǔ xíng yí cì.
    During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the metropolitan examination was held every three years.
  • 会试。
    Tōng guò huì shì de kǎo shēng bèi chēng wéi gòng shì.
    Candidates who passed the metropolitan examination were called gongshi.
  • 会试。
    huì shì Shì kē jǔ zhì dù zhōng fēi cháng zhòng yào de yì guān.
    The metropolitan examination was a very important stage in the imperial examination system.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

会huìgathering; joint
试shìexamination

会 suggests a joint gathering, and 试 means examination, so together they refer to the metropolitan imperial exam.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
式
式shì試shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Open 试 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.