干枯 (gān kū) describes something that has become dried up and withered, often from lack of water — used for plants, skin, or hair. It overlaps with 枯萎 (kū wěi, 'withered, wilted'), but 干枯 emphasizes the loss of moisture and shriveling, while 枯萎 focuses more on the process of wilting and dying. It is stronger than 干 (gān, 'dry') or 干燥 (gān zào, 'dry, arid'), which describe a state of dryness without implying decay.