‘凄厉’ is an adjective describing sounds that are sharply shrill, piercing, and emotionally unsettling—often evoking fear, sorrow, or dread. The first character 凄 (qī) means 'desolate' or 'mournful', carrying connotations of coldness and loneliness; the second 厉 (lì) means 'severe', 'intense', or 'fierce'. Together, they intensify each other to depict a sound that cuts through silence with chilling force—not just loud, but emotionally jarring and haunting.

This word is commonly used for animal cries (e.g., wolves howling at night), human screams in distress, or unnatural sounds like wind whistling through broken windows. It appears frequently in literary and descriptive writing—especially in horror, suspense, or melancholic scenes—but is rare in casual speech. Because it carries strong emotional weight, it’s unsuitable for neutral or positive contexts (e.g., you wouldn’t describe a cheerful child’s voice as 凄厉).