a) *tu with the meaning 'curve (of the road), circle (of the road)' (cf. the rhyme in 123.2);

    b) *tiw with the meaning 'Zhou' (territory, state and dynasty) (cf. the rhyme in 153.2).

    The latter meaning was probably the original meaning of the graph (although the Shuowen gloss is somewhat obscure), and it explains why the 周 series basically contains *-iw-words, as well as the loan-usage of 周 instead of 彫 *tīw 'carve' in early inscriptions (see Schüssler 128). The former meaning (etymologically probably = 州洲 *tu q.v.) led to occasional confusion of the signs 周 and 舟 *tu in Shijing, as well as to the presence of some *-u-words in the 周 phonetic series. For etymology see 州 (cf. especially Tib. lam-mdo 'end of the road or its juncture with another' = OC 道周).