Shen Collection, Middle Volume
Radical: Insect (chóng)
虮
Kangxi Stroke Count: 18
Page 1076, Entry 23
Pronounced ji. Mi-ji is the name of an insect. Also, in the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is commonly written as the character pronounced ji. In the Erya, Explanations of Insects (Erya, Shichong), it is written as mi-ji, also known as ji-ying. Textual research note: The Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) and the Erya, Explanations of Insects (Erya, Shichong) mention mi-ji, also known as ji-ying. Following the original text, the character has been corrected from the variant for hunger to the character pronounced ji.
虮
Pronounced ji. According to the Analytical Dictionary of Characters (Shuowen), it refers to louse eggs. In the History of the Former Han (Qian Han Shu), Biography of Yan An: The armor and helmets bred louse eggs and lice. In Shen Yue’s Lament for the State Rhapsody (Minguo Fu): Storing simple louse eggs in the helmets.
Also, in the Dictionary of Rhymes (Yunhui), it is pronounced ji. The meaning is the same.
Also, in the Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), it is pronounced qi. In the Erya, Explanations of Fish (Erya, Shiyu), it is mentioned as a leech. The commentary states: Today in the Jiangdong region, people call the aquatic leech that enters human flesh a ji. See the entry for the character for leech.