Chen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Say (yuē) Kangxi Strokes: 12 Page 503, Entry 03 Pronounced ceng. Shuowen Jiezi: The extension of speech. Composed of the radical eight and the sound element say. Jiu Jing Zi Yang: The character consists of an ancient form for the character window. It has say at the bottom and eight at the top, representing the dispersal of breath. Through classical transmission, the clerical script simplified it to the current form. Book of Odes (Shijing): How is it that there is no one to cherish my army. Analects (Lunyu): Can this be considered filial piety. Mencius (Mengzi): How could you compare me to this. Also pronounced ceng. Zeng Yun: Once or previously. Yun Hui: To be, then, or in that case. Also interchangeable with the character for layer (ceng). Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu): Ascending the overlapping ramparts of Langfeng Mountain. Wen Xuan: Written as layer (ceng) city. Also pronounced zeng. Book of Documents (Shujing): The virtuous great-grandson, King Wu of Zhou. Erya: The father of one's grandfather is called great-grandfather; the son of one's grandson is called great-grandson. Commentary: The character zeng denotes layers or repetition. Zuo Zhuan: Your humble servant Biao will lead the feudal lords to punish. Commentary: A humble servant is like a low-ranking minister. Sub-commentary: The zeng in great-grandfather and great-grandson implies a layering or repetition. Regarding the feudal lords' relation to the Son of Heaven, there is nothing that can be layered. A humble servant is like a low-ranking minister, which is a modest expression. Chu Ci: Soaring lightly like a kingfisher flying high. Commentary: Zeng means to fly up. Also identical to the character for woodpile nest (zeng). Book of Rites (Liji): In summer, one dwells in a nest made of piled wood. Commentary: Some versions write this as zeng. Also identical to the character for increase (zeng). Mencius (Mengzi): Increase the abilities that he does not possess. Sun Shi Sound and Meaning: Zeng should be read as increase (zeng). Also a surname. Xing Shi Ji Jiu Pian: The Zeng clan originates from the State of Zeng, with the surname Si. After the State of Ju destroyed the State of Zeng, descendants in the State of Lu became the Zeng clan. Sun Yi: Except when used as a surname or in the sense of great-grandson, modern scholars all pronounce the character as ceng. However, since the classics and histories provide no phonetic annotation, it should simply be read as zeng. Yun Hui: Upon detailed examination of the character zeng, where phonetic annotations exist, one should follow the original pronunciation. For instances without phonetic annotation, reading it as ceng is also acceptable.