Depicts a succession of chariots. The meaning later extended from "continue" to "further", "more", "alternate", "replace", and "change". Its historical form 㪅 was confused with 𠓥 (whip).
The pair of chariots later merged becoming the unrelated but visually and phonetically similar 丙 (pedestal), which itself became merged with the other component.
Change in sound
更 and 丙 don't sound similar in modern Mandarin due to historical phonetic changes. They were more similar
in older Chinese.
Character Evolution
Oracle Bone~1250-1000 BCBronzeMid Western Zhou~900 BCBronzeMid Western Zhou~900 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Warring States~250 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealShuowen~100 ADClericalQin221-206 BCClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADClericalEastern Han25-220 ADClericalEastern Han25-220 ADRegularModern
