biàn

distinguish

Original meaning: 

to cut into two parts

(knife) added between two (chisel) components or conveying the original meaning "to cut into two parts". The meaning has shifted over time and now means "distinguish". also provides the sound.

Components
辡 sound,iconic component

  Sound Iconic component

biàn

  

criminals accusing one another

Here used to depict an object being cut into two parts. also gives the sound.

刂 iconic component

  Iconic component

dāo

  

knife

Depicts a knife.

Evolution

辨 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
辨 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
辨 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
辨 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

biàn

distinguish, discriminate; to distinguish; to recognize

Most common words with 辨
Freq.
Word
Meaning

分辨

to distinguish

辨认

to recognize

分辨率

resolution (of images, monitors, scanners etc)

to distinguish

辨别

to differentiate