Wei Collection, Middle Volume
Radical: Net (wǎng)
Kangxi Strokes: 14
Page 928
The character 网 (wǎng). Ancient script. According to Guangyun (Guǎngyùn), the pronunciation is wénliǎngqiè. According to Jiyun (Jíyùn), Yunhui (Yùnhuì), and Zhengdun (Zhèngdùn), the pronunciation is wénfǎngqiè, sounding like wǎng. According to Shuo wen Jie zi (Shuōwén Jiězì), Fu Xi invented knotted ropes for fishing. It is composed of a frame radical (jiōng) with the bottom resembling crossed netting. Commentary: In current classics, it evolved into the clerical script form 罒. According to Yupian (Yùpiān), it is a general name for nets and traps. It is also written as 罔 (wǎng). According to Guangyun, it is the same as 网. According to Pianhai (Piānhǎi), the character 网 (wǎng) has three errors: originally written as 网, it was mistakenly written as a variant form; it was also written as 冈 (gāng) and mistakenly written as another variant form; and it was also written as another variant and mistakenly written as 罒. The component 罒 is a horizontal eye radical, used only in characters like 睾 (gāo), 眔 (dá), and 睘 (qióng). For other characters that denote the meaning of a net, the horizontal stroke at the bottom of the character does not connect to the sides. According to Guangyun, the pronunciation is wénliǎngqiè. According to Jiyun, Yunhui, and Zhengdun, the pronunciation is wénfǎngqiè, sounding like wǎng. According to Shuo wen Jie zi, it was originally written as 网. Sometimes it is written as a variant form, or in its simplified clerical form. The modern form uses the silk radical (mì) to make 纲 (gāng), meaning rope or main cable. In the Commentary on the Appended Phrases of the Book of Changes (Yì Jīng: Xì Cí), it says: "Invented knotted ropes to make nets for hunting and fishing." According to Zhu Xi's Original Meaning (Zhūzǐ Běnyì), this character is the same as 纲 (gāng). In the Book of Documents (Shàngshū): Pan Geng, it says: "As nets are attached to ropes." In the Book of Odes (Shijing): Odes of Bei, it says: "The setting of fishing nets." Also, in Songs of Chu (Chǔ Cí): Summoning the Soul, it says: "Net-like windows adorned with red threads." Commentary: 网户 (wǎnghù) refers to a type of finely woven silk fabric.