You Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Bitter (xīn) Kangxi Strokes: 13 Page 1251, Entry 09 Jade Chapters (Yupian): This is an ancient form of the character for crime. For detailed annotations, see the Net (wǎng) radical, eight strokes. Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi): Zui (crime) means to violate the law. The character is composed of bitter (xīn) and self (zì). Self is an ancient character. It implies that a criminal is sorrowful and full of bitter worries. During the Qin Dynasty, because the character for crime resembled the character for emperor, it was changed to the modern form. Note: In the Confucian Classics and historical texts, the ancient and modern forms of the character for crime are used interchangeably. Currently, the modern form is in general use.