The word 惆怅 is formed by combining two characters, 惆 and 怅, each contributing to the meaning of sorrowful emotion. 惆 consists of the heart radical 忄 and the phonetic component 周, indicating sadness, while 怅 similarly uses the heart radical 忄 with the phonetic component 长, conveying disappointment or regret. Together, they create a compound word where the shared semantic field of negative emotions intensifies to express a state of melancholy or despondency.