hotspot
hotspot — noun
- hotspotsingular
- hotspotsplural
1. an area in a country or region where armed fighting or military combat is happen
an area in a country or region where armed fighting or military combat is happening or could break out at any time.
The valley near the border has become a hotspot where army patrols and rebel fighters clash nearly every week.
collocation: conflict hotspot / hotspot of fighting
Journalists who cover hotspots often risk their lives to report on wars and political violence around the world.
verb pattern: cover + hotspot (report on a conflict area)
The UN sent peacekeepers to several hotspots in the region after the ceasefire collapsed.
Hamza's family fled the city after it was labeled a hotspot by international aid groups.
The coastal province has been a hotspot for rebel activity since the disputed election last year.
- flashpoint
focuses on a specific place where violence might suddenly start, often used in news reports
- trouble spot
more general term for any place where problems regularly occur, not only military conflict
- war zone
a place where active fighting is already happening, stronger and more specific than hotspot
用法筆記
Frequently modified by a place-name or region before the word: 'the Kashmir hotspot', 'the Middle East hotspot'. The plural is common when referring to several conflict areas at once.
常見錯誤
2. a place where many people go for entertainment, dining, shopping, or social acti
a place where many people go for entertainment, dining, shopping, or social activities because it is fashionable or lively.
The old warehouse district has turned into a hotspot full of art galleries, cocktail bars, and live music venues.
pattern: turn into + a hotspot for [activity]
Apinya asked her friends to recommend the best nightlife hotspots in Taipei for their weekend trip.
collocation: nightlife hotspot / tourist hotspot
The new dessert shop has become a hotspot among students who love its matcha cake and bubble tea.
Caleb shares photos of hidden hotspots that are not listed in any travel guide.
Every summer the beach town turns into a busy hotspot with concerts, food stalls, and night markets.
- hot spot
alternative spelling; equally common in informal writing
- hangout
more casual term for a place people regularly meet, less tied to fashion or trendiness
- destination
neutral term for a place people travel to, without the 'fashionable' connotation
用法筆記
Often appears with a preceding noun specifying the kind of activity: 'tourist hotspot', 'shopping hotspot', 'dining hotspot'. Can sound informal or journalistic in tone.
常見錯誤
3. a public place such as a café, library, hotel, or airport where people can conne
a public place such as a café, library, hotel, or airport where people can connect to the internet using a wireless network.
Jabari looked for a café with a free wi-fi hotspot so he could join his online class without interruptions.
collocation: free wi-fi hotspot
Most hotels now offer a hotspot in the lobby so guests can browse the web on their phones or laptops.
passive: be offered + hotspot [in a location]
The public library set up a free hotspot so everyone in the neighbourhood can access the internet.
Renata chose her hotel based on whether it offered a reliable hotspot in the room.
Many coffee shops advertise a fast wi-fi hotspot to attract customers who work remotely.
- wi-fi zone
slightly less common; emphasises the coverage area more than the access point
- access point
the technical term for the hardware device that provides the wireless signal
用法筆記
Often interchangeable with 'wi-fi network' when referring to the connection itself, but 'hotspot' emphasises the physical location. Common in travel and technology contexts.
常見錯誤
4. a small area or point where the temperature is much higher than the surrounding
a small area or point where the temperature is much higher than the surrounding area, often where a fire could start or has been burning.
The firefighters used a thermal camera to find hotspots hidden inside the wall after the house fire.
collocation: find + hotspots / thermal camera + hotspot
Tomas checked the engine for hotspots before driving across the desert to make sure nothing would overheat.
noun: engine hotspot (mechanical context)
The mechanic spotted a hotspot on the engine block and replaced the part before it could cause damage.
Scientists use satellite images to detect hotspots in forests before wildfires spread out of control.
Anna checked the oven for uneven hotspots that might burn one side of the cake.
- hot spot
the same meaning spelled as two words; both forms are used in technical writing
- heat source
broader term for anything that produces heat, not necessarily a small concentrated point
- cold spot
an area where the temperature is noticeably lower than the surroundings
用法筆記
Common in firefighting, engineering, and geology contexts. In everyday speech, this sense is less frequent than the wi-fi or trendy-place meanings.
hotspot — phrase
1. a popular location that draws many tourists, business visitors, or crowds attend
a popular location that draws many tourists, business visitors, or crowds attending large-scale events
Bali has become a popular hotspot for tourists looking for beautiful beaches and rich culture.
collocation: popular hotspot + for [tourists/visitors]
The new art gallery in Tainan is the city's latest cultural hotspot.
The night market on Liouhe Street is a well-known hotspot for food lovers in Kaohsiung.
Diya and her cousins spent the weekend exploring every trendy hotspot in Seoul.
- attraction
a general term; hotspot implies currently trendy
- destination
broader; not always about popularity
- tourist trap
negative connotation; over-commercialized
文法句型
hotspot + for [something]
hotspot + of [place]
2. a place where ongoing political tensions, civil unrest, or instability create co
a place where ongoing political tensions, civil unrest, or instability create conditions that are dangerous for people living or working there
The United Nations sent peacekeepers to the conflict hotspot near the border.
collocation: conflict hotspot
Tariq's family fled the region after it became a military hotspot with daily clashes.
collocation: military hotspot
Paloma's charity took her to a conflict hotspot where aid workers face danger every day.
Journalists rarely stay long in a political hotspot because the violence makes reporting too risky.
- flashpoint
suggests a place where conflict could suddenly erupt
- trouble spot
less formal; broader in meaning
- war zone
more extreme; implies active fighting
- safe haven
a place free from danger or conflict
文法句型
conflict hotspot
hotspot + of [unrest/violence]
用法筆記
Often appears in news reports about international affairs and security risks.
常見錯誤
3. a wireless internet service or signal available in a public setting, allowing pe
a wireless internet service or signal available in a public setting, allowing people to go online with their phones, laptops, or tablets
Marta connected her laptop to the free hotspot at the train station.
collocation: free hotspot; verb: connect to a hotspot
The library offers a reliable wifi hotspot for students and visitors throughout the building.
Ari found a quiet cafe with a secure hotspot to finish his online job application.
Many airports now provide free hotspots that work without entering a password.
The park's public hotspot let Esme check her email while watching her son.
- wifi zone
less common; more limited to signage
- public wifi
describes the service, not a named location
文法句型
free hotspot
public hotspot
connect to a hotspot
用法筆記
Refers to the network connection at a location, not the device that creates it.
常見錯誤
4. a small electronic device or smartphone feature that creates a wireless internet
a small electronic device or smartphone feature that creates a wireless internet signal so that other devices can get online
When the hotel wifi went down, Owen used his phone as a portable hotspot for his laptop.
grammar pattern: use [device] as a hotspot
Gabriel turned on his mobile hotspot so that Nikhil could finish his online meeting.
Femi bought a portable hotspot so his whole family could use the internet during road trips.
When the office network crashed, Mia connected her tablet to her personal hotspot.
Kabir keeps a dedicated hotspot device in his bag for emergencies on the train.
- mobile hotspot
synonymous; emphasizes portability
- personal hotspot
common term on smartphones
- tethering
the feature, not the device itself
文法句型
mobile hotspot
use [something] as a hotspot
用法筆記
Can refer to either a dedicated device or a smartphone's built-in tethering feature.
5. a location where a specific thing, such as a type of plant, a mineral deposit, o
a location where a specific thing, such as a type of plant, a mineral deposit, or a kind of crime, exists in unusually large amounts compared to other areas
The Amazon rainforest is a biodiversity hotspot with thousands of unique species.
collocation: biodiversity hotspot
This coastal area is a hotspot for rare bird species during the winter migration months.
grammar pattern: hotspot + for [species/activity]
This forest is a biodiversity hotspot where scientists study rare frogs and wild orchids.
The city center is a crime hotspot where police patrol more often at night.
文法句型
hotspot + of [something]
biodiversity hotspot
crime hotspot
用法筆記
Often paired with a descriptive noun before it, such as 'biodiversity hotspot', 'crime hotspot', or 'pollution hotspot'.
6. a region in the earth's mantle where a vertical column of hot magma rises toward
a region in the earth's mantle where a vertical column of hot magma rises toward the surface, sometimes creating volcanoes on the crust above
The Hawaiian Islands were formed by a volcanic hotspot under the Pacific Ocean.
collocation: volcanic hotspot
Geologists study the hotspot beneath Yellowstone to understand volcanic activity in the area.
grammar pattern: hotspot + beneath [location]
The volcanic hotspot under Iceland continues to produce new land as lava cools and hardens.
Scientists track movement in the mantle to predict where a hotspot might create a new volcano.
- mantle plume
the technical scientific term for the rising column of magma
文法句型
volcanic hotspot
hotspot + under/ beneath [location]
7. a sore, irritated patch on a pet such as a dog or cat, caused by allergies or in
a sore, irritated patch on a pet such as a dog or cat, caused by allergies or insect bites and worsened by scratching
The vet showed Sari how to clean her cat's hotspot with a special medicated wipe.
hotspot on + possessive [animal]
During the humid summer, Rachid's dog developed a hotspot behind its ear from constant scratching.
When Noor's retriever kept scratching, the groomer found a hotspot under the collar.
A shelter volunteer found a hotspot on the kitten's belly and called the vet.
Mei applied the medicated spray to her rabbit's hotspot exactly as the veterinarian had instructed.
- acute moist dermatitis
the medical term vets use; formal
- pyotraumatic dermatitis
a more technical veterinary label
文法句型
hotspot on + part of body
用法筆記
Hotspots on animals worsen quickly because the animal keeps licking or scratching the area. Veterinary treatment is usually needed.
常見錯誤
8. a specific geographic area where a disease is unusually common or where the risk
a specific geographic area where a disease is unusually common or where the risk of catching it is much higher than in other places
The health department set up a testing centre in the city's latest cholera hotspot.
hotspot preceded by possessive/demonstrative referring to a disease
Lakshmi's team is mapping tuberculosis hotspots across South Asia to target free medicine delivery.
Aid workers rushed clean water to the rural hotspot where diarrheal diseases were spreading.
Vinícius studies how city parks become dengue hotspots during the rainy season each year.
The WHO report listed three new malaria hotspots in the central highlands of the country.
- epicentre
suggests the very centre of an outbreak; more dramatic
- disease cluster
refers to a group of cases in one area; more neutral
文法句型
hotspot of + disease
hotspot for + disease
用法筆記
Commonly used in public health reports and news articles. Often followed by 'of + disease name' or 'for + disease name'.
常見錯誤
9. a location in a genome where mutations or genetic recombination happen much more
a location in a genome where mutations or genetic recombination happen much more frequently than in other areas
Feng's lab identified a hotspot on chromosome 9 where lung-cancer mutations frequently arise.
hotspot on + chromosome / gene location
Researchers studying the corn genome found a recombination hotspot linked to stronger drought resistance.
Noor compared mutation hotspots across different types of cancer to find common genetic patterns.
The team spotted a hotspot on the Y chromosome tied to male fertility in mice.
Ilan's thesis examines recombination hotspots in the genomes of tropical flowering plants.
- mutation-prone region
more descriptive; slightly less common in the literature
- recombination hot zone
a less common variant used in some textbooks
- cold spot
a region with unusually low mutation frequency
文法句型
hotspot for + noun
hotspot of + noun
用法筆記
Almost exclusively found in academic genetics papers and textbooks. The term is never used in everyday conversation about health or heredity.