換

Phono-semantic compound composed of:

手 (손 수) — semantic element, indicating manual action or manipulation.

奐 (빛날 환) — phonetic element, contributing the sound huàn and suggesting brightness or renewal.

Thus, 換 originally meant to act with the hand to make something new or different, i.e., to change by replacing.

交換 (교환) — exchange, trade

兌換 (대환) — convert, redeem (currency, etc.)

更換 (갱환) — replace, renew

替換 (체환) — substitute, swap

換氣 (환기) — ventilation, air exchange

換裝 (환장) — change of clothes, refitting

換取 (환취) — to obtain in exchange

換算 (환산) — to convert numerically

In classical Chinese thought, 換 sometimes carried a moral or spiritual nuance — signifying inner transformation rather than mere substitution.

換心以修德。

“Change the heart to cultivate virtue.”

Here, 換 denotes renewal of the inner state — a voluntary reorientation of the self.

In Daoist writings, it appears metaphorically for shedding the old to embrace the new, akin to nature’s cyclical renewal.

天地之道，生生不息，換化無窮。

“The Way of Heaven and Earth is unceasing generation — endless change and transformation.”

Thus, 換 transcends mere physical exchange, reflecting the broader cosmological idea of transformation (化) within balance and renewal.