Chou Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Earth (tǔ) Hou Kangxi strokes: 9 Page 228, Entry 01 According to the Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), the character for thick is anciently written as hou. For detailed notes, see the entry under Radical: Cliff (chǎng), seven strokes. It is also a surname. In the Repository of Seals (Yinsou), it is noted that there was a person named Houwen during the Han dynasty. According to the Jade Chapters (Yupian), it is also written in a variant form. This character is composed of the radicals for cliff, mouth, and earth.