Shen Collection, Upper Volume
Radical: Grass (cǎo)
莝
Kangxi strokes: 13
Page 1034, Entry 19
Pronounced cuo (falling tone).
According to the Shuo Wen Jiezi (Shuo Wen), it means to chop up fodder.
In the Book of Odes (Shijing), it is written: Chop it and feed it. The Mao Commentary (Jian) states that the character used here is the current form of the character for chopping fodder.
In the Quick Guide to Literacy (Jijiupian), it is defined as finely chopping up stalks.
In the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biography of Fan Ju, it is written: He made Xu Jia sit below the hall and placed chopped fodder and beans before him.
In the History of the Former Han (Qianhan), Biography of Yin Wengui, it is written: Powerful local families who were convicted of crimes were sent to serve the official in charge of livestock, where they were made to chop fodder.
In the writings of Liu Zongyuan, it is written: Combine chopped fodder and tender grass to strengthen them.