Chen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Tree (mù). Entry: Sui. Kangxi stroke count: 17. Page 557, Entry 02.
Pronounced sui (falling tone).
Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Writing and Analysis of Characters) records it as written in a variant form, implying the meaning of a net.
Erya (Approaching Elegance), Commentary on Trees: The sui is a luo tree. Guo Pu commentary: This is the modern yang-sui. Its fruit resembles a pear but is smaller and sour in taste; it is edible.
Book of Odes (Shijing), Qin Wind: In the low-lying wetlands grow sui trees. Lu Ji commentary: The sui is also known as chi-luo, mountain pear, deer pear, or mouse pear. People now cultivate it; some varieties are very crisp and delicious, much like pears.
Piya (Amplification of Erya): The wood grain of the sui is fine and dense like a net; it also produces flowers, commonly referred to as luo-jin.
Sui also carries the meaning of compliance or to follow. Huainanzi (Masters of Huainan), Qi Customs Instruction: To open, sever, remove, and comply.
Textual verification: Erya, Commentary on Trees, lists it as luo. We have corrected this according to the original text to read sui.