The word 灰心 (huīxīn), meaning "to lose heart" or "to become discouraged," is a vivid metaphorical compound formed through semantic combination. Its first character, 灰 (huī), means "ashes" or "dust," symbolizing something burnt out, cold, and lifeless. The second character, 心 (xīn), means "heart" or "mind," representing one's spirit, courage, and resolve. Thus, the term literally paints the image of a heart turned to ashes, elegantly conveying the abstract emotional state of extinguished enthusiasm and defeated spirit through this concrete, visual analogy. This formation is a classic example of how Chinese compounds often use tangible imagery to express intangible psychological states.