You Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Red (chì) Entry: Nan Kangxi Stroke Count: 12 Page 1214, Entry 03 Pronounced nan (falling tone). According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it refers to the face becoming red from shame. In the Mencius (Mengzi), it states: Observe his expression, nan nan ran (looking ashamed). The commentary by Zhao Qi explains this as the appearance of a face turning red, signifying a heart that is not upright. According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it is also written in a variant form. According to the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is sometimes written with the radical for skin, and it is also written in another variant form.