Mao Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Hand (shǒu) Entry: lan Kangxi strokes: 18 Page 460, Entry 06 Pronounced lan (falling tone) Original meaning: To grasp or hold with the fingers. As stated in the Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters (Shuowen): To gather and hold. From the Book of Rites (Liji), record of music commentary: The word lan implies grasping. It carries the sense of accumulation. From the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), biography of Zhuge Liang commentary: Rising early and retiring late, for any penalty of twenty lashes or more, he would personally attend to the review. From the Guanzi, student duties: When eating, one must hold the bowl with both hands. Also means to pick or collect by hand. From the Chu Ci, encountering sorrow (Lisao): In the evening, I gather the plants that have slept on the sandbar. Commentary: Lan means to pick. Sometimes written in a variant form. Also written as lan.