About
The character "凄" evolved from its traditional form "淒", which combined the water radical (氵) with the phonetic component "妻" to originally denote physical coldness and damp, gloomy conditions. Over time, its semantic scope widened to encompass emotional states of sorrow and desolation, merging the tangible sense of chill with metaphorical bleakness. The simplified form "凄" replaced the water radical with the ice radical (冫) while retaining the phonetic "妻", thus emphasizing the cold aspect and consolidating its dual usage for describing both environmental harshness and deep melancholy.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
冬天的夜晚很凄凉。
他露出了凄惨的笑容。
雨中的街道显得分外凄凉。
战争留下了凄惨的回忆。
凄冷的月光照在空地上。
她独自一人，感到无比凄楚。
废墟中弥漫着一种凄迷的气氛。
经济萧条给小镇带来了凄凉的景象。