Wu Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Cave (xué) Kangxi stroke count: 15 Page 865, Entry 09 Orthography Guide (Zhengzitong): A vulgar character form. The character is a variant of the character for a kiln. According to Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), Rhyme Compilation (Yunhui), and Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun), it is pronounced yao. It shares the same meaning as the character for a kiln, which is a furnace for firing roof tiles. According to Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced yao. It refers to a hole used for burning. According to Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced qiao. In the compound form meaning empty and desolate.