The Chinese word **萧条** (xiāotiáo), meaning "depression" or "desolation," is a **disyllabic compound** formed by combining two characters with related meanings to create a single, more abstract concept. The first character, **萧** (xiāo), originally refers to the Artemisia plant (wormwood) and evokes a sense of bleakness and loneliness, often used to describe sparse, desolate scenery. The second character, **条** (tiáo), primarily means "branch" or "strip," but in this context, it extends the imagery to things that are thin, withered, or devoid of vitality. When combined, the literal botanical imagery of "bare, withering branches" is metaphorically extended to describe a state of economic slump, emotional gloom, or general decline, where prosperity and activity have shriveled away, leaving a barren landscape.