Si Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Water (shuǐ) Entry: Qiu Kangxi strokes: 9 Page 615, Entry 08 Pronounced qiu. According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it refers to swimming or floating on water. In the Master Lie (Liezi), in the Chapter on Explaining Tokens (Shuofu pian), it is written: There was a person living by the river who was accustomed to the water and skilled at swimming. According to the Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui), the original form of the character was written as shiu. In ancient times, it was used to mean to sink. It is sometimes written as qiu. According to the Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), it is also written as jiu.