Mao Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Hand (shǒu). Kangxi strokes: 15. Page 451, Entry 24. Pronounced kou. According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen), this refers to an embroidered belt. Another view states it is the act of lifting one's clothing to ascend into a main hall. Broad Rhymes (Guangyun): To lift up clothing. Book of Rites (Liji), Chapter on Manners (Quli): To lift up the hem of one's garment and walk quickly toward a corner. Commentary: Kou means to lift up. It also refers to probing or reaching for something. Liezi, Yellow Emperor Chapter: Those who use tiles to probe are clever; those who use hooks to probe are fearful; those who use gold to probe are confused. Commentary: This refers to using the hand to conceal something, or reaching inside to extract something. Also, in the Master Yang's Dialect (Fangyan), kou is synonymous with yu xuan (spinning or twirling). In the Qin and Jin regions, crops that ripen early are called xuan, while in the Yan and Qi regions, they are called kou yu. Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): Sometimes written in a variant form (kua). Also, pronounced ou. It refers to the act of lifting the lower part of a garment. Also, as listed in the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), pronounced ou. Identical to the character meaning to beat or strike something.