Chou Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Mouth (kǒu) Character: zi Kangxi brush strokes: 8 Page 182, Entry 09 Pronounced zi (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): To be exacting or harsh. Yupian (Jade Chapters): To slander or disparage with the mouth. Zhengyun (Standard Rhymes): Used interchangeably with zi. Erya (Approaching Elegance), Interpretation of Ancient Words: zi and yi mean this. Note: zi and yi are both regional dialect variants. Commentary: zi, yi, and this all have similar pronunciations, hence they may be used to mean this. Also means weak. Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), Biographies of Money-makers: The terrain produces abundant food, without the calamity of famine; therefore, people are zi yu (lazy and idle). Note: Xu Guang says: zi yu means to be careless, lazy, and indolent. Ying Shao says: zi means weak. Pronounced ci. Also means to be exacting. Also means a flaw or defect. Hanshu (Book of Han), Memoir of the Preface: The corruption of the eunuchs is a blemish on our brilliant virtue. Note: zi is the same as ci. Jiyun (Collection of Rhymes): Sometimes written as zi. Pronounced zi. Also means this. Pronounced ji. Same meaning as above. Pronounced si. The same as xie, a modal particle. Pronounced suo (falling tone). Also the same as xie.