Chen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Tree (mù). Character: Jian. Kangxi stroke count: 9. Page 520, Entry 19. Pronounced jian (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Single-component Characters and Analyzing Compound Characters) defines it as to differentiate. It is composed of the radical for bundle and the radical for eight. Eight signifies separation. It is also identical to the character jian, meaning to choose. In the Cultivating the Self chapter of the Xunzi (Xunzi), it refers to careful differentiation. In the Jin Zhuo commentary on the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), it is noted that jian is an ancient form of the character jian, meaning small or few. According to the Leipian (Compilation of Characters), it is also interchangeable with the character jian, meaning to sort. The Yunhui (Collection of Rhymes) notes it is also the name of a county, located in Xinning. Note: The Shuowen Jiezi classifies this under the radical for bundle; its inclusion here is an error.