Wei Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Silk (mì) Geng Kangxi stroke count: 12 Page 922, Entry 14 Broad Rhymes of Guangyun (Guangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), and Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui): Pronounced huan. As recorded in Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi): Slow. Note: The original text in Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters is written with a specific form, using a component derived from a phonetic element. Following clerical script evolution, it became the character pronounced gen (rising tone). The character geng is composed of silk and boat, with the boat component simplified to the moon component in clerical script. Therefore, in ancient texts it appears as the character for constant, and also as the character pronounced gen (rising tone). The character geng is sometimes abbreviated to the form pronounced gen (rising tone). The character pronounced gen (rising tone) is pronounced deng (falling tone). The character geng and the character pronounced geng (first tone) are distinct in form, sound, and meaning. Modern usage incorrectly substitutes the character geng for the character pronounced geng (first tone). The original character geng was composed of silk and a phonetic element.