Wei Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Rice (mǐ) Kangxi Strokes: 16 Page 911, Entry 36 Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), Rhyme Meetings (Yunhui), and Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun) state the pronunciation is xiu (rising tone). It refers to juice or liquid. Another theory suggests it refers to soaking. Sometimes also written in a variant form (xiu). Book of Rites (Liji), Inner Chapters (Neize): Grind rice into powder, soak in liquid, and make into thin porridge. Also, Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) states it is pronounced xiu. Explaining Characters (Shuowen) refers to rice-washing water that has been stored for a long time. Also pronounced sao. Also pronounced xiu. The meaning is the same. Explaining Characters (Shuowen) states that xiu refers to rice-washing water that has been stored for a long time.