Shen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Insect (chóng). Kangxi strokes: 13. Page 1085, Entry 02.
Pronounced shu. Refers to a toad. In the Materia Medica (Bencao), Xiao Bing states: The creature with eight red patterns on its belly resembling the character for eight is the true toad. Su Song states: Toads are mostly found in low-lying, damp areas near homes; they are large, have many bumps on their backs, move very slowly, do not jump, and do not croak. Frogs are mostly found in ponds and marshes; they are small, have many black spots on their skin, can jump to catch various insects, and are very agile. Although these two animals belong to the same category, their medicinal effects differ slightly. Refer to the annotations for the character toad (chan).
Also pronounced yu. A spider, also called a duchu. In the Dialect (Fangyan) by Yang Zi, it is called a duchu in the regions of Northern Yan, Chaoxian, and the Lieshui river area. In the Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), it is sometimes also written in a variant form (zhu).