You Collection, Upper Volume
Radical: Speech (yán)
Character: Zao
Kangxi Strokes: 20
Page 1182, Entry 19
Pronounced zao (falling tone).
According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuo Wen Jie Zi), it means to disturb.
According to the Jade Chapters (Yu Pian), it is the clamor and disturbance of a crowd shouting.
According to the Expanded Rhymes (Zeng Yun), it means to clamor.
According to the Zuo Commentary (Zuo Zhuan), in the thirteenth year of Duke Wen, the people of Wei shouted and returned.
According to the Guliang Commentary (Guliang Zhuan), in the tenth year of Duke Ding, the people of Qi beat drums and shouted as they rose. The commentary notes that group shouting is called zao.
According to the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li), in the Summer Ministry of the Grand Minister of War, both chariots and infantry shouted. The commentary by Zheng Xuan states that it is clamor, and also refers to joy.
Also, according to the Collected Rhymes (Ji Yun) and the Classified Chapters (Lei Pian), pronounced cao. It refers to a sound.
According to the Dialects (Fang Yan) by Yang Zi, zao is the sound of clamor.
According to the Comprehensive Collection of Characters (Zi Hui), it is the same as the character for noise.