Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 酉 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "type of monkey". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Regular script

Modern

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