He placed second in the tournament.
The associate prosecutor handled the case.
He serves as the deputy head of the branch office.
She finished as the runner-up in the competition.
He was appointed as the deputy prosecutor.
準優勝 specifically means runner-up in a competition's final standings, while 次席 can also describe an official second-in-command title, not just a contest result.
首席 is the top rank or chief position, while 次席 is the rank directly below it.
次席 is a formal title meaning the person second in rank or seniority within an organization, while 次点 refers to the runner-up ranking in a competition, vote, or selection process.
Compound of 次 (next, second) and 席 (seat, position), literally 'next seat'.