What does 独占鳌头 mean?

独占鳌头 (dú zhàn áo tóu) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to take the top spot”.

How do you pronounce 独占鳌头?

独占鳌头 is pronounced dú zhàn áo tóu in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 独占鳌头 literally mean?

Literally, 独占鳌头 means “Solely occupy the Ao's head”. It is used to mean “to take the top spot”.

Where does 独占鳌头 come from?

独占鳌头 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 独占鳌头?

鳌头：宫殿门前台阶上的鳌鱼浮雕，科举进士发榜时状元站此迎榜。科举时代指点状元。比喻占首位或第一名。

独占鳌头 — “To take the top spot”

独占鳌头 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to take the top spot”. To be unrivaled; to emerge as the champion, especially in an examination or competition. Literally, “Solely occupy the Ao's head”.

Frequency

独占鳌头 Pronunciation and Pinyin

独dú
占zhàn
鳌áo
头tóu

独占鳌头 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
独	dú	9	single, only, alone
占	zhàn	5	occupy, divine, or estimate
鳌	áo	18	mythical giant sea turtle
头	tóu	5	head

Example Sentence with 独占鳌头

在这次国际象棋比赛中，年轻的选手凭借出色的策略和冷静的判断力，最终独占鳌头。

In this international chess competition, the young player, relying on excellent strategy and calm judgment, ultimately took the top spot.

Origin and Story of 独占鳌头

During the Song Dynasty, Bao Gong petitioned Emperor Renzong to hold an additional imperial examination. Fan Zhongyu, from Nan'anshan Village in Jiangxia County, Wuchang Prefecture, Huguang, sighed to himself upon hearing the news.

His fellow villagers, aware of his extraordinary talent, were confident that he would certainly "独占鳌头" (take the top spot) and be listed among the successful candidates. Liu Hongyi, a kind benefactor, sponsored him with one hundred taels of silver and a black donkey for his journey to the capital.

As everyone had hoped, Fan Zhongyu indeed performed outstandingly and became the Zhuangyuan (top scholar).

Idioms Related to 独占鳌头

Synonyms of 独占鳌头

Antonyms of 独占鳌头

míng名luò落sūn孙shān山to fail an examination or selection

More idioms starting with 独

Questions about 独占鳌头

What does 独占鳌头 mean?: 独占鳌头 (dú zhàn áo tóu) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to take the top spot”.
How do you pronounce 独占鳌头?: 独占鳌头 is pronounced dú zhàn áo tóu in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 独占鳌头 literally mean?: Literally, 独占鳌头 means “Solely occupy the Ao's head”. It is used to mean “to take the top spot”.
Where does 独占鳌头 come from?: 独占鳌头 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 独占鳌头?: 鳌头：宫殿门前台阶上的鳌鱼浮雕，科举进士发榜时状元站此迎榜。科举时代指点状元。比喻占首位或第一名。

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