Meaning
萧条 describes a state of bleakness, emptiness, or decline. It can refer to physical environments that look desolate and lifeless, or more commonly to economic conditions marked by reduced activity, falling prices, and widespread hardship. The word carries a sense of cold emptiness and lack of vitality.
Usage
Most commonly used in economic contexts to describe recessions or depressions (经济萧条). Can also describe desolate landscapes, empty streets, or declining businesses. This is formal/literary language, more common in news media and written Chinese than everyday conversation. Native speakers often pair it with 经济 when discussing economic downturns.
Examples
- 01经济大萧条给世界各国带来了严重的影响。.The Great Depression had a serious impact on countries around the world.
- 02由于疫情的影响，今年旅游业非常萧条。, .Due to the pandemic, the tourism industry has been very depressed this year.
Characters
Common collocations
- 经济萧条economic depression/recession
- 市场萧条depressed market
- 萧条时期period of depression
- 生意萧条business is slow/depressed
Antonyms
Origin
萧 originally referred to a type of bamboo and the whistling sound of wind through it, evoking loneliness. 条 adds the sense of long, drawn-out conditions. Together they paint a picture of prolonged desolation.