The word 寡妇 (guǎfu), meaning "widow", is formed through a direct and conceptually descriptive combination of its two characters. The first character, 寡 (guǎ), carries the core idea of being alone, solitary, or bereft, often implying a state of lack or loss. The second character, 妇 (fù), simply means a married woman. Therefore, the compound visually and semantically paints the portrait of "a woman who is alone", specifically defining her by the absence created by the death of her husband. This formation encapsulates the entire social condition in a single, condensed image.