状元 zhuàng yuán

DEFINITIONS

  1. top scorer in the palace examination (highest rank of the Imperial examination system)
  2. see 榜眼[bang3 yan3] and 探花[tan4 hua1]
  3. top scorer in college entrance examination 高考[gao1 kao3]
  4. (fig.) the most brilliantly talented person in the field
  5. leading light

CHARACTERS

状 zhuàng
HSK 5
form; appearance; shape; official
元 yuán
HSK 3
first; dollar; origin; head