Chinese word

冷门

Pronunciation

Pinyinlěng mén

Meaning

  • adjectiveniche

Example

这是一门冷门的课程，只有少数学生选。zhè shì yì mén lěng mén de kè chéng zhí yǒu shǎo shù xué shēng xuǎn

This is a niche course, and only a few students choose it.

Illustration for 冷门 (niche)

More examples

在这个冷门专业里，老师和学生都更专注于研究。zài zhè ge lěng mén zhuān yè lǐ lǎo shī hé xué shēng dōu gèng zhuān zhù yú yán jiū

In this niche major, both teachers and students focus more on research.

Core concept

A side gate with little foot traffic, standing apart from the busy entrance to the mainstream.

Common phrases

  • 冷门专业lěng mén zhuān yè

    niche major

  • 冷门课程lěng mén kè chéng

    niche course

  • 冷门学科lěng mén xué kē

    niche field

Similar words

不热门bú rè mén: Not popular or widely supported, with little public attention or approval.
小众xiǎo zhòng: Appealing to or serving a small, specific group rather than a broad audience.
冷僻lěng pì: Little known and rarely encountered or heard in everyday life.
无名wú míng: Lacking broad recognition, with little name recognition or public reputation.

Definition in Chinese

少有人关注或选择，表示某事物不为大众接受或流行，侧重于受众少而非对其价值的评价。shǎo yǒu rén guān zhù huò xuǎn zé biǎo shì mǒu shì wù bú wèi dà zhòng jiē shòu huò liú xíng cè zhòng yú shòu zhòng shǎo ér fēi duì qí jià zhí de píng jià

Word origin

冷 (lěng, "cold") + 门 (mén, "gate") suggests a neglected entrance, providing a concrete image for something that attracts little notice or participation.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear a specialty label as carefully chosen, but this word can simply mark something that few people notice or choose.

Other meanings

  • unpopularadjective
  • upsetnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 冷门儿lěng ménrnichenoun

Word lists with this word