Xu Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Food (shí) Character: Zí Kangxi strokes: 15 Page 1419, Entry 18 Tang Rhymes (Tangyun) states: pronounced cí. Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) and Rhymes Collection (Yunhui) state: pronounced cí. Explication of Writing (Shuowen): Rice cakes. Jade Chapters (Yupian): Sticky rice cakes. Explanation of Names (Shiming): Zí signifies being soaked; it is made by steaming crushed rice and allowing the particles to moisten and adhere to one another to form a cake. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Office of Heaven (Tianguan), Bian Official (Bianren): Providing the contents of the bamboo vessels, including dried crushed grain cakes (qiu'er) and powdered rice cakes (fenzí). Commentary: These are all made from rice or millet ground into powder. Mentioning crushed grain cakes and powdered cakes serves to clarify the method of preparation. When steamed together, it is called er; when pressed into a cake shape, it is called zí. Sub-commentary: The modern term for sticky rice cakes originates from this. Explication of Writing (Shuowen): Sometimes also written in a variant form. Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): Sometimes also written in a variant form.