cold desert; arctic desert; fell-field
Technical term in ecology and geography for a cold, barren area with sparse vegetation, typically found in polar or high-altitude regions.
A cold desert refers to an area with sparse vegetation found in polar or high-altitude regions.
Compound of 寒地 (cold region) and 荒原 (barren plain). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the ecological meaning.