taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle
Describes a landscape, scene, or atmosphere that is barren, empty, and lifeless, often with a sense of loneliness. Used as a たる adjective or adverbially with と.
A desolate desert stretched on endlessly.
The winter seashore was bleak, with no one in sight.
Standard kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Compound of 荒 (rough, wild) and 涼 (cool, refreshing), but here 涼 is used in its extended sense of 'lonely' or 'desolate'. The spelling 荒寥 uses 寥 (lonely, quiet) more directly, but it is rare.