jìjūn: 季军 - Third Place, Bronze Medalist

jìjūn: 季军 - Third Place, Bronze Medalist

Quick Summary

Keywords: jìjūn, 季军, third place Chinese, bronze medal Chinese, 冠军亚军季军, Chinese for competition winner, what is jijun, jìjūn meaning, Chinese sports terms, HSK 5 vocabulary.
Summary: Learn the Chinese word 季军 (jìjūn), the formal title for the third-place winner or bronze medalist in a competition. This page breaks down the characters 季 (jì) and 军 (jūn), explains its cultural significance in sports and contests, and provides ten practical example sentences. Discover the crucial difference between 季军 (jìjūn) and 第三名 (dì sān míng) and how to use it correctly when talking about champions (冠军 guànjūn) and runners-up (亚军 yàjūn) in modern China.

Core Meaning

Pinyin (with tone marks): jìjūn
Part of Speech: Noun
HSK Level: HSK 5
Concise Definition: The third-place winner in a competition; the bronze medalist.
In a Nutshell: 季军 (jìjūn) is more than just “number three.” It's a formal title of honor bestowed upon the person or team that finishes third. Think of it as the direct equivalent of “bronze medalist.” It's part of the essential trio of winners you'll always hear about in sports news or see on an awards podium: 冠军 (guànjūn) for first place, 亚军 (yàjūn) for second, and 季军 (jìjūn) for third.

Character Breakdown

季 (jì): This character can mean “season” (like a quarter of a year) or “the end of a period.” It can also refer to the youngest among siblings. In this context, it signifies the final position in a sequence—specifically, the last spot on the awards podium.
军 (jūn): This character means “army,” “military,” or “corps.” It evokes a sense of a disciplined, powerful group or a high-ranking official.
When combined, 季军 (jìjūn) literally translates to something like “season army” or “final corps.” The meaning is metaphorical: it represents the last of the top-tier “warriors” or competitors to be officially recognized with a high honor. It's the final champion in the series of medal winners.

Cultural Context and Significance

In Chinese culture, making it to the podium (上领奖台 shàng lǐngjiǎngtái) is a significant achievement that brings great honor (荣誉 róngyù) to not just the individual, but also their family, school, or country. While everyone strives for the gold medal (冠军), securing third place is far from a failure; it's a celebrated victory.
Comparison to Western Culture: In many Western contexts, there's a heavy emphasis on “the winner takes all,” and second or third place can sometimes be viewed as “the first loser.” While this sentiment can exist in China, the concept of 前三名 (qián sān míng), or “the top three,” holds a special, collective prestige. A 季军 is seen as an elite competitor who has proven their mettle. For national teams, winning any medal—gold, silver, or bronze—is often described with the proud phrase 为国争光 (wèi guó zhēng guāng), “to win glory for the country.” The 季军 is a crucial part of that glory.

Practical Usage in Modern China

季军 (jìjūn) is used in formal contexts related to the results of a competition. It is standard vocabulary in media, official announcements, and sports commentary.
Sports: This is the most common use case. You will constantly hear it during the Olympics, the World Cup, national games, and even local school sports meets.
- “The Chinese women's volleyball team won the bronze medal (季军).”
Other Competitions: Its use extends to any formal contest with a clear ranking system, such as singing competitions, academic Olympiads, chess tournaments, and e-sports championships.
- “He was the third-place winner (季军) in this year's international piano competition.”
Formality: While 季军 is the formal title, in very casual conversation, a speaker might simply say someone was 第三名 (dì sān míng), meaning “number three.” However, on a certificate, on the news, or when conferring the actual honor, 季军 is the correct and respectful term to use.

Example Sentences

Example 1:
- 中国女排获得了本届奥运会的季军。
- Pinyin: Zhōngguó nǚ pái huòdéle běnjiè Àoyùnhuì de jìjūn.
- English: The Chinese women's volleyball team won third place in this year's Olympic Games.
- Analysis: A classic example from sports news. `获得 (huòdé)` means “to obtain” or “to win,” and is often used with titles like 季军.
Example 2:
- 虽然没拿到冠军，但是能成为季军，他已经很满足了。
- Pinyin: Suīrán méi nádào guànjūn, dànshì néng chéngwéi jìjūn, tā yǐjīng hěn mǎnzú le.
- English: Although he didn't get first place, he is already very satisfied with becoming the third-place winner.
- Analysis: This sentence shows the positive connotation of 季军. `成为 (chéngwéi)` means “to become,” highlighting that 季军 is a status or title.
Example 3:
- 这次歌唱比赛的冠军、亚军和季军分别来自北京、上海和广州。
- Pinyin: Zhècì gēchàng bǐsài de guànjūn, yàjūn hé jìjūn fēnbié láizì Běijīng, Shànghǎi hé Guǎngzhōu.
- English: The champion, runner-up, and third-place winner of this singing competition are from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, respectively.
- Analysis: This demonstrates the common pattern of listing the top three winners together. `分别 (fēnbié)` means “respectively” or “separately.”
Example 4:
- 他在决赛中输了，最后只拿了个季军。
- Pinyin: Tā zài juésài zhōng shū le, zuìhòu zhǐ ná le ge jìjūn.
- English: He lost in the final match and only ended up with third place.
- Analysis: The word `只 (zhǐ)`, meaning “only,” introduces a slight feeling of disappointment, showing that while 季军 is good, the goal was higher.
Example 5:
- 恭喜你！你是我们公司年度销售大赛的季军！
- Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐ! Nǐ shì wǒmen gōngsī niándù xiāoshòu dàsài de jìjūn!
- English: Congratulations! You are the third-place winner of our company's annual sales competition!
- Analysis: Shows the term's use in a business or corporate context for internal competitions.
Example 6:
- 季军争夺战将会非常激烈。
- Pinyin: Jìjūn zhēngduózhàn jiānghuì fēicháng jīliè.
- English: The battle for third place (the bronze medal match) will be very intense.
- Analysis: Here, 季军 is used to describe the match itself. `争夺战 (zhēngduózhàn)` means “a fight for” or “a battle over.”
Example 7:
- 谁是上次世界杯的季军？
- Pinyin: Shéi shì shàngcì Shìjièbēi de jìjūn?
- English: Who was the third-place winner of the last World Cup?
- Analysis: A simple, common question using 季军 to ask about a past result.
Example 8:
- 作为季军，他也有机会站上领奖台。
- Pinyin: Zuòwéi jìjūn, tā yě yǒu jīhuì zhàn shàng lǐngjiǎngtái.
- English: As the third-place winner, he also has the opportunity to stand on the podium.
- Analysis: `作为 (zuòwéi)` means “as” in the capacity of. This sentence links the title 季军 directly with the honor of being on the podium (`领奖台 lǐngjiǎngtái`).
Example 9:
- 我们队的目标是至少进入前三名，拿到季军也可以接受。
- Pinyin: Wǒmen duì de mùbiāo shì zhìshǎo jìnrù qián sān míng, nádào jìjūn yě kěyǐ jiēshòu.
- English: Our team's goal is to at least enter the top three; getting third place is also acceptable.
- Analysis: This shows a strategic mindset where 季军 is seen as a minimum acceptable achievement.
Example 10:
- 这幅画在艺术大赛中荣获季军。
- Pinyin: Zhè fú huà zài yìshù dàsài zhōng rónghuò jìjūn.
- English: This painting was honored with third place in the art competition.
- Analysis: `荣获 (rónghuò)` is a very formal verb meaning “to win the honor of,” often used in official announcements and on certificates.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

季军 (jìjūn) vs. 第三名 (dì sān míng): This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
- 季军 (jìjūn) is a title, like “Bronze Medalist” or “Champion.” It refers to the winner themselves and the honor they receive. You “win” (获得) or “become” (成为) a 季军.
- 第三名 (dì sān míng) is a ranking, meaning “the third position” or “number three.” It's a neutral, descriptive term. You “get” (得) or “are ranked” (排) at 第三名.
Correct Usage:
- 他是这次比赛的季军。 (He is the third-place winner of this competition.)
- 他在这次比赛中排第三名。 (He ranked third in this competition.)
Incorrect Usage:
- Wrong: 他在这次比赛中排季军。 (Incorrect because 排 'pái' means 'to rank,' which pairs with a number/position, not a title.)
- Wrong: 他是这次比赛的第三名。 (While grammatically okay and understandable, it sounds less formal and less prestigious than saying he is the 季军. It's like saying “He is number three” instead of “He is the bronze medalist.”)

Related Terms and Concepts

冠军 (guànjūn) - Champion; first-place winner (gold medalist). The ultimate goal.
亚军 (yàjūn) - Runner-up; second-place winner (silver medalist).
第三名 (dì sān míng) - The literal ranking of “third place.” Less formal than 季军.
铜牌 (tóngpái) - Bronze medal. The physical prize that a 季军 receives.
金牌 (jīnpái) - Gold medal (for the 冠军).
银牌 (yínpái) - Silver medal (for the 亚军).
领奖台 (lǐngjiǎngtái) - The awards podium where the top three winners stand.
前三名 (qián sān míng) - “The top three places.” A collective term for the group of 冠军, 亚军, and 季军.
决赛 (juésài) - The final match or competition.
为国争光 (wèi guó zhēng guāng) - A cultural phrase meaning “to win glory for one's country,” applicable to any medalist.

Table of Contents

jìjūn: 季军 - Third Place, Bronze Medalist

Quick Summary

Core Meaning

Character Breakdown

Cultural Context and Significance

Practical Usage in Modern China

Example Sentences

Nuances and Common Mistakes

Related Terms and Concepts