HSK · Level 108
45 words
Chinese word
爆冷门
Pronunciation
Pinyinbào lěng mén
Meaning
- nounupset
Example
昨天比赛出现了爆冷门。zuó tiān bǐ sài chū xiàn le bào lěng mén
There was an upset in yesterday's game.
More examples
在联赛中，他们尽力避免爆冷门，稳住了排名。zài lián sài zhōng tā men jìn lì bì miǎn bào lěng mén wěn zhù le pái míng
In the league, they tried their best to avoid an upset and maintain their ranking.
Core concept
An unexpected win that turns the expected order upside down.
Common phrases
遭遇爆冷门zāo yù bào lěng mén
suffer an upset
避免爆冷门bì miǎn bào lěng mén
avoid an upset
爆冷门频发bào lěng mén pín fā
frequent upsets
Similar words
冷门lěng mén: An unexpected result that most people do not predict or support.
黑马hēi mǎ: A little-noticed person or team that unexpectedly advances and succeeds.
逆袭nì xí: A strong reversal of an unfavorable situation through sustained effort.
Definition in Chinese
指在比赛、选拔或竞猜中，原本被看作落后或不被重视的一方突然获胜，导致结果出人意料的事件。zhǐ zài bǐ sài xuǎn bá huò jìng cāi zhōng yuán běn bèi kàn zuò luò hòu huò bú bèi zhòng shì de yì fāng tū rán huò shèng dǎo zhì jié guǒ chū rén yì liào de shì jiàn
Word origin
The expression joins 爆 (bào, "to erupt") and 冷门 (lěngmén, "an unlikely or neglected choice"), presenting an unlikely winner as suddenly breaking through.
Usage tips
- The expression describes the event or result rather than the winner's personality, which makes it suitable for headlines and everyday comments about many kinds of contests.