The prose he writes is cold, austere, and restrained.
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Literary. Often used to describe a tactile chill that also feels rough or unyielding (a wind, a metal handle in winter), or — figuratively — a writing style or facial expression that is cold and hard to read.
memory
冷 (cold) + 涩 (astringent, the puckery taste of unripe persimmon) — picture biting into something cold AND mouth-puckering. That double sensation is the word.
