You Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Speech (yán) Gǎn Kangxi Strokes: 12 Page 1154, Entry 12 According to the Book of Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), pronounced gàn. It refers to the mouth being closed. In the Xunzi, chapter on Duke Ai: Do not select the gabbling (gǎn gǎn) disorder. Commentary: The meaning is not yet clear. In the School Sayings of Confucius (Kongzi Jiayu), it is written as qián.