Chou Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Earth (tǔ) Kanjie strokes: 7 Page 224, Entry 29 Broad Rhymes (Guangyun) and Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) state the pronunciation is qin (rising tone). Pi Cang defines it as a pit, specifically an earthen pit. The Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial (Yili) records: The duren (field officials) construct the earthen pit (kan). The commentary states: It is the name for a dug earthen pit, one type of which is called a kan. Also, Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) provides the pronunciation as cen; and also zan. The meanings are the same.