凄凉

淒涼

qīliáng

adjective HSK 7 #17,735

Meanings

1 bleak; desolate
2 miserable; wretched

Characters

sorrowful; chilly

Both characters carry a sense of cold sadness — together they evoke a bone-deep desolation.

Examples

老人的晚年过得很凄凉。

Lǎorén de wǎnnián guò de hěn qīliáng.

The old man's final years were miserable.

秋天的景色有些凄凉。

Qiūtiān de jǐngsè yǒuxiē qīliáng.

The autumn scenery is somewhat bleak.

Tips

culture

凄凉 is a classic mood word in Chinese poetry. Li Qingzhao's famous ci poem uses 凄凄惨惨戚戚 — a string of desolate-sounding words that's considered one of the most melancholic lines in Chinese literature.

Stroke Order

凄 qī

凉 liáng