You Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Speech (yán) Kangxi Strokes: 19 Page 1181, Entry 17 In ancient scripts. Pronounced shi. According to the Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters), it means constant. Another definition is to know. The Changjian (Long Annotations) states that defining it as constant carries no clear meaning. The Yupian (Jade Chapters) states that to identify is to recognize. The Zengyun (Expanded Rhymes) states that it is the ability to discriminate. It also refers to insight. Book of Odes (Shijing): Not knowing, not understanding, following the rules of the Emperor. Zuo Zhuan (Chronicle of Zuo), 29th year of Duke Xiang: The Wu prince Zha visited Zheng and saw Zichan like an old acquaintance. Laozi (Tao Te Ching): Those who possess foresight are the flowers of the Dao and the beginning of foolishness. Zhuangzi (Zhuangzi), Chapter on Correcting Nature: The Dao is certainly not about small conduct, and virtue is certainly not about small recognition. Yangzi Fayan (Model Sayings): He who hears and sees much and recognizes the correct path is of ultimate knowledge. He who hears and sees much and recognizes the crooked path is of confused knowledge. Also the name of a plant. Da Dai Liji (Records of Ritual by Dai the Elder), Xia Xiaozheng (Calendar of the Xia Dynasty): In the third month, gather the shi plant. Shi is a type of grass. Also the name of a prefecture. Tangshu (Book of Tang), Treatises on Geography: Shili Prefecture belonged to the surrendered households of Goryeo. Also a surname. See Xingzuan (Compilation of Surnames). Pronounced zhi. Equivalent to the character zhi (to record). To make a record. Book of Changes (I Ching), Great Accumulation: The superior man uses extensive knowledge of past words and deeds to accumulate his virtue. Book of Documents (Shujing), Counsels of Yu the Great: Use writing to record it. Analects of Confucius (Lunyu): Do you think that I am someone who has learned much and kept a record of it? Also, in the Rhyme Dictionary (Yunhui), the inscriptions on vessels are called shi. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals of Emperor Wu: The vessel had markings and no inscriptions. The commentary by Wei Zhao says that kuan means to engrave. The commentary by Yan Shigu says that shi means a record. Yang Shen says that in the bronze inscriptions of the Three Dynasties, raised, protruding text is called kuan, symbolizing the Yang, while concave, sunken text is called shi, symbolizing the Yin. Also, in the Rhyme Dictionary (Yunhui), it is commonly used as zhi (to record). Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Offices of Spring: The Keeper of Celestial Signs manages the stars, using them to record the changes of the constellations, sun, and moon. Zheng Xuan's commentary: Zhi is the ancient form of the character shi, meaning to record. Also, in the Dushutong (Comprehensive Study of Books), it is commonly used as zhi (a banner or mark). Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Biography of Yu Xu: Use colored silk to sew onto the robbers' hems as a mark. The commentary says: Zhi means a mark. Pronounced shi. The meaning is the same as above. Also, in the Rhyme Dictionary (Yunhui), a biaoshi is a mark or sign used for identification so that it may be recognized later. Zuo Zhuan (Chronicle of Zuo), 12th year of Duke Xuan, Du Yu's commentary: Chu used reeds as a flag-mark, meaning they used banners as symbols. Book of the Former Han (Hanshu), Biography of Liu Xiang: One cannot fail to mark it. Yan Shigu's commentary: A tomb must have a marker. Both are pronounced shi. Also, in the Jiyun (Rhyme Collection) and Leipian (Classified Chapters), pronounced chi. The meaning is the same as above. Also, in the Shiming (Explanation of Names), shi means a mark. There are emblems that can be inspected. Book of the Former Han (Hanshu), Biography of Wang Mang: Banners and markings. Yan Shigu's commentary: Shi is read the same as zhi (a mark). Also, rhymes with shi-lie, pronounced shua. Cui Si, Da Zhi: Recounting the succession of eras, the rise and fall of the Three Dynasties. The Great Ting was a long time ago, and the He Xu era had no such recognition. Also, rhymes with shi-zhuo, pronounced shuo. Su Shi, Poem for Officer Mao: Wandering for office, encountering this year of misery, when the flying locusts came, the half-sky was black. I envy your prefecture where the rice is like clouds; the locusts recognize the people, but the people do not recognize them. The Jiyun (Rhyme Collection) notes it is sometimes written in a variant form.