Mao Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Hand (shǒu). Kangxi strokes: 9. Page 425, Entry 02. Pronounced fu (rising tone). Pronounced fu (rising tone). The pronunciation is the same as the character meaning to soothe or comfort. Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Single-component Characters and Analyzing Compound Characters) defines it as to stroke or pat. Book of Odes (Shijing), Lesser Odes of the Kingdom: "Patting me and nurturing me." Zuo Commentary (Zuo Zhuan), Year 12 of Duke Xuan: "The King inspected the three armies, patting and encouraging them." Here, the character is used interchangeably with the character for soothe or comfort. It also carries the meaning of striking or tapping. Book of Documents (Shangshu), Counsels of Yu the Great: "I strike the stones, I tap the stones." Cai Commentary (Cai Zhuan) explains: The stones refer to stone chimes. A heavy strike is called striking, while a light strike is called tapping. Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial (Yili), Rites for the Burial of an Officer: "Women pat their hearts without weeping." There is also a musical instrument called a fu. Book of Rites (Liji), Record of Music: "Strings, gourds, mouth organs, and reed pipes, meeting to guard the percussion and the fu drums." The commentary explains: This instrument is covered in leather and filled with chaff. It is also known as xiang. Currently, in the region of Qi, people call chaff xiang. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Spring Offices, Grand Master: "During great sacrifices, lead the blind musicians to ascend the hall and sing, and order the playing of the percussion and the fu." The commentary states: The shape of the fu resembles a drum. Furthermore, the handle of an object is also called a fu, being the place where the hand grips. Book of Rites (Liji), Summary of Ceremonial Usages: "When using a bow, use the left hand to bend the grip and hold the fu." The sub-commentary explains: Fu is the handle of a bow. It further records: "Hand over the scraping tool by its fu." The sub-commentary explains: The scraping tool refers to a curved-blade knife, and fu refers to the handle of the knife. Also, in Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced fu (falling tone). The meaning is to attach one's hand to an object. Some versions are written in the variant form (fu). It is also pronounced kou (rising tone). It is identical to the character referring to the marks of beating on clothing. It is also pronounced fu (flat tone). Book of Han (Hanshu), Treatise on Literature and Arts: "The Prescriptions of Yu Fu, the Yellow Emperor and Bian Que of the Taishi Era." The commentary states: Yu Fu was a physician during the era of the Yellow Emperor.