Chou Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Mouth (kǒu) Character: zi Kangxi Stroke Count: 11 Page 196, Entry 07 Pronounced zi (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): To be lazy or indolent. Yupian (Jade Chapters): zi-yu, meaning to be careless or perfunctory. Book of Han (Hanshu), Geographical Treatise: Indolent and living only for the moment, without saving for the future. Commentary: Shigu says: zi means short or lacking, yu means weak. It describes those who are physically weak or lacking in ability, unable to work diligently. Ruzhun says: zi is sometimes written as a variant form (zi). Note: The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biographies of Money-makers (Huozhi Zhuan) writes it as zi-yu. Also, Yangzi's Regional Speech (Fangyan): zi-ba means short; in the region where the Yangtze and Xiang rivers meet, it is called zi. Also, according to Jiyun (Compilation of Rhymes): Pronounced ji (falling tone). Means weak; also means short. Also, according to Jiyun and Yunhui (Collection of Rhymes): Pronounced ji (level tone). The meaning is the same. Also, according to Jiyun and Zhengyun (Correct Rhymes): Pronounced ci (level tone). Same as the character ci; see the previous entry for the character ci. Also, according to Yupian: Pronounced ji (entering tone). According to Leipian (Categorized Compilation): This.