Si Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Water (shuǐ) 澀 Kangxi stroke count: 16 Page 651, Entry 20 Pronounced sè. Same as the character variant (sè). According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it refers to not being slippery or smooth. According to the Comprehensive Customs (Fengsutong), Ten Oppositions chapter, it describes something cold and rough like a dried-out slug. It also refers to walls layered with stones to create water-like patterns, referred to as rough waves. As noted in the poetry of Wen Tingyun, rough waves float upon stairs carved from white jade. It is also the name of a type of bamboo. According to the Record of Grass and Trees in the Sea of Guilin (Guihai Caomu Zhi) by Fan Chen-da, the rough-skinned bamboo has a texture that is coarse and abrasive to the touch, similar to sandpaper. The Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun) notes that it is sometimes written as the variants (sè) or (sè). The character was originally written with the character for blade above the character for stop.