Wu Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Stone (shí)
Character: tian
Kangxi Strokes: 15
Page 834, Entry 29
According to the Dictionary of Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), the Rhyme Collection (Yunhui), and the Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun), it is pronounced tian. It describes the sound of a stone falling. In the Commentary of Gongyang (Gongyang Zhuan) for the sixteenth year of Duke Xi, it states that when the meteorites fell, they made a sound described as tian. It also refers to the base stone beneath a pillar. In the Western Capital Rhapsody (Xidu Fu) by Ban Gu, it mentions carved jade stones serving as bases to support the pillars. The commentary notes that tian refers to a pillar base. According to the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is also pronounced zhen, with the same meaning. The Correct Meaning (Zhengzitong) states that this is a common variant form of the character.