Viva
VY-vuh /ˈvaɪvə/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
Short for "viva voce" — an oral exam where you defend your thesis in front of examiners. All PhD students have one; it can last several hours.
Chinese explanation
viva voce（口试）的缩写，指论文答辩：在考官面前口头回答关于论文的提问。所有博士生都要参加，可能持续数小时。
Example conversation
A: My viva is next Thursday.
B: You'll be fine — you know that thesis better than anyone.
A：我下周四答辩。
B：你没问题的——没人比你更了解你的论文。
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake