Wei Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Silk (mì) Character: Zhi Kangxi strokes: 15 Page 932, Entry 15 Pronounced zhi. Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen) states it means dense. History of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Biography of Ban Gu: jade stones that are colorful and dense. Also, Guangya (Boya) states it means to mend or to process silk. Yupian (Yupian) states it is to sew and mend tattered clothing. Yang Xiong’s Dialects (Fangyan) states: a short coat, west of the mountain passes, is called this; its tattered version is called zhi. Commentary: zhi means to sew and mend that which is tattered, therefore it is named so. Also, tattered clothing is called zhi. Commentary: tattered, meaning to sew and join together.