You Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Salty (xián) Kangxi strokes: 16 Page 1285, Entry 11 According to the Book of Rhymes (Guangyun), this is the common variant form of the character for salty. According to the Strategies of the Warring States (Zhanguoce), during the day one plays in the dense forest, and at night one uses sour and salty flavors to season the food.