Chou Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Woman (nǚ) Ying Kangxi stroke count: 13 Page 268, Entry 07 Pronounced ying (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Graphs and Analysis of Characters) defines this as to send. Classic of Rites Explanation (Shiwen) states: In ancient times, when feudal lords took a principal wife, two feudal states of the same surname would send women as part of the dowry. Explanation of Names (Shiming) states: A woman of the third rank is called ji, and a woman of the fifth rank is called ying. Zuo Tradition (Zuozhuan), Eighth Year of Duke Cheng: Whenever feudal lords marry off their daughters, states of the same surname must send women as dowry. Also, offering a toast is called ying. Ceremonial and Rituals (Yili), Banquet Rites: The host toasts the guests. Commentary: One drinks a cup first, and then a subsequent cup is offered in succession. Furthermore, any act of sending someone off can be called ying. Songs of Chu (Chucai), Nine Songs: The waves surge as if coming to welcome, the fish travel in schools to accompany me. Also, sending items as a gift is called ying. The original form of the character is written as [variant]. Yang Xiong's Dialects (Fangyan) states: The character means to send. The character is formed with the radical for moon (yùe). The common version using the moon radical is incorrect. It is also written as [variant]. Note that the moon radical here actually consists of an enclosure (jiōng) containing ice (bīng). Textual verification: In the Songs of Chu (Chucai), Nine Songs, the original text reads waves (bō) surging to welcome; the character for that (bǐ) has been corrected to waves (bō) according to the original text.