also: じゃくねん
noun, taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle
Only with reading せきぜん
Describes a quiet, empty, and lonesome atmosphere. Often used in literary or formal contexts with the たる adjective or と adverb form.
夜の寺は寂然として、物音ひとつしなかった。
The temple at night was lonely and still, without a single sound.
寂然たる荒野に夕日が沈む。
The sun sets over the desolate wilderness.
noun, taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle
forlornness; desolation
Only with reading じゃくねん
A less common reading じゃくねん for the same kanji, carrying a similar meaning of loneliness and desolation. Restricted to this reading; rarely used in modern Japanese.
古い詩には「じゃくねん」と読ませる寂然が使われることがある。
In old poetry, 寂然 is sometimes read as じゃくねん to express forlornness.
Kana spelling for the less common reading じゃくねん, which is restricted to the forlornness/desolation sense.
The kanji 寂 means 'lonely' or 'quiet', and 然 is a suffix forming adjectives/adverbs indicating state. The reading せきぜん is the standard on'yomi; じゃくねん is an alternative on'yomi reading of the same characters, likely reflecting an older or variant pronunciation.