冷门 lěngmén a neglected branch
a neglected branch (of arts, science, sports etc); figuratively a complete unknown who wins a competition
How to remember 冷门: 冷 cold + 门 door = a neglected branch.
Characters
How it is used
- 'An unpopular / obscure field' that few pursue - 冷门专业 (lěngmén zhuānyè) a niche, low-demand major.
- Opposite of 热门 (rèmén, hot/popular). Also 'an upset' in sports/competition: 爆冷门 (bào lěngmén) for a dark horse to unexpectedly win. The 热门/冷门 pair marks popular vs. neglected - 热门专业 (rèmén zhuānyè) a popular major.