Si Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Water (shuǐ) Entry: Mei Kangxi strokes: 13 Page 636, Entry 09 Pronounced mei. Erya: Explanation of Water (Erya): Where water plants intermingle is called mei. Explanation of Names (Shiming): Mei means eyebrow. It signifies being beside the water just as eyebrows are situated on the face. Book of Odes (Shijing): Beside the water’s edge. Commentary: It refers to the bank of a water body. The sub-commentary states: An embankment (yan) is a mountain bank, while a mei is a water bank; hence it is called a water embankment. It is also interchangeable with mi. Book of Odes (Shijing): Living on the banks of the river. Annotation: The original text for mi is also written as mei. Also the name of a lake. Commentary on the Water Classic (Shuijingzhu): The Huai River winds to the left to form Mei Lake. Also, pronounced nuan. Equivalent to the character nuan. It means hot water. Some versions write it as a variant form.