Wei Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Silk (mì) 紺 Kangxi strokes: 11 Page 920, Entry 18 Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), Rhyme Meetings (Yunhui), Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun): Pronounced gan (falling tone). Explanation of Graphs (Shuowen): Deep blue silk with a reddish hue. Refined Elegance (Boya): Deep blue-green. Explanation of Names (Shiming): Gan means to contain; it is blue but contains a reddish hue. Analects of Confucius (Lunyu): The gentleman does not use deep blue or deep reddish-purple for the trimming of his garments. He Yan commentary: Gan is the formal color for sacrificial robes. Xing Bing sub-commentary: Gan is a dark, base color.