Mao Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Hand (shǒu) 撚 Kangxi strokes: 16 Page 454, Entry 23 Tang Dynasty Rhymes (Tangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), Dictionary of Rhymes (Yunhui), and Corrected Rhymes (Zhengyun) state: pronounced nian (rising tone), reads like nian (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi says: to hold. Guangyun says: to press objects with the hand. Bai Juyi in the Lute Song (Pipa Xing) writes: lightly touching, slowly pressing, plucking and then strumming. Also, according to Shuowen Jiezi: one definition is to trample or knead. Huainanzi, Treatise on Military Strategy (Binglue Xun) states: front and rear do not press against each other, left and right do not interfere. Also means to follow. Ji Zhong Zhou Shu (Book of Zhou from the Bamboo Annals) states: after moving, follow it. Also, Yang Xiong's Regional Speech (Fangyan) states: nian means not yet continued. Sometimes also written in a variant form (tian). Zhengzitong says: nian has two pronunciations, level tone and rising tone.