Xu Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Food (shí) Kangxi Strokes: 16 Page 1420, Entry 01 Pronounced nei (falling tone) In the Jade Chapters (Yupian), it means to be hungry or starving. As recorded in the Zuo Commentary (Zuozhuan): I have nothing but hunger to endure. It also refers to fish that has begun to rot. As recorded in the Approaching the Classics (Erya): Fish rot is called nei. The commentary notes that this refers to meat that has decayed. The sub-commentary states that because fish rot begins internally, it is described as inner-decay. The current edition writes inner as meat, which is likely an error. It is also written in the same form as the variant (wei). As recorded in the Discourses of the States (Chu Yu): The people grew thin and hungry with each passing day. As recorded in the History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu): To provide relief to the impoverished and the hungry. In the Explanation of Scripts (Shuowen), it was originally written as the variant (wei). Evidence verification: It is also written in the same form as the variant (wei). As recorded in the Discourses of the States (Chu Yu): The people grew thin and hungry with each passing day. In accordance with the original text, the words the people have been added before the term thin and hungry.