You Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Speech (yán) Kangxi Strokes: 12 Page 1154, Entry 01 Pronounced ju (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): Ju means the same as how or why. Zhuangzi (The Great and Venerable Teacher): How could one know that what I call heaven is not human? Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Annals of Emperor Guangwu: How could it be known that the world would close off against a man of character? Book of Song (Songshu), Self-Preface of Shen Yue: If one were to dispatch a single messenger, how would the four quarters not respond? Also, according to the Yupian (Jade Chapters), it means to stop, to arrive, or to obstruct. Also commonly written as the character for great (ju). Book of the Former Han (Hanshu), Annals of Emperor Gaozu: If the Duke of Pei does not first defeat the forces in Guanzhong, how could you possibly enter? Note by Yan Shigu: Ju is read as ju, meaning the same as how or why. Also pronounced ju (falling tone). The meaning is the same. According to the Zilin (Forest of Characters), it is a word indicating the unknown. Zhengzitong (Correction of Character Comprehension): In the Dushutong (Comprehensive Reading), it is noted that ju is sometimes written as the characters for canal, great, or hurried, but this is incorrect. Textual research: Also pronounced ju (falling tone). The meaning is the same. I have carefully examined that the pronunciation provided in the various rhyme books is falling tone, not rising tone, and have corrected the reference accordingly.