Xu Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Leather (gé) Character: Bing Kangxi stroke count: 17 Page 1388, Entry 44 Pronounced bing. Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): A knife sheath. Yupian (Jade Chapters): A sword sheath. Book of Odes (Shijing), Lesser Odes: The sheath and the chape have ornamental stones. Commentary: The sheath for a carried sword. Sub-commentary: In ancient times, what was called a bing is what is referred to as a sheath today. Also, Book of Odes (Shijing), Greater Odes: Sheath and chape to contain the sword. Commentary: The bottom part is called the bing, the top part is called the beng. Also, pronounced bi. The meaning is the same. Yangzi's Dialects (Fangyan): A sword sheath; west of the mountain pass it is called bing. Note: Pronounced like bi. Also, pronounced bei. Niu-bing, a county name located in the Shu region. History of the Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Treatise on Geography: Niu-bing County in Jianwei Commandery. Note: Meng Kang says: the pronunciation of bing is the same as bei. Yan Shigu says: pronounced bi. Also, pronounced pi. Originally written as pi. See the detailed annotation for the character pi in the City radical section. Also, pronounced bei. Book of Odes (Shijing), Zhou Hymns: Ying is a small drum. Book of Rites (Liji), Monthly Ordinances: Command the music masters to repair the tao drums and the bing drums. Sub-commentary: The Explanation of Names (Shiming) explains that bing means to assist; it assists in regulating the rhythm of the drums. Guangyun (Broad Rhymes): Originally written as bi. Jiyun (Collection of Rhymes): Sometimes written as a variant form.