交替
jiāo tì · HSK 7
alternately
🔄 交 = exchange + 替 = replace; two things exchange-and-replace, so they take turns
交 carries the sense of crossing or exchanging, and 替 means to substitute or replace. Put together, 交替 is one thing swapping in for another over and over, giving the meaning of alternating or taking turns.
交 — top 亠 + 父-like crossed legs
Originally a pictograph of a person standing with legs crossed, showing the idea of crossing or intersecting. From this concrete image, the meaning extended to abstract senses like 'exchange,' 'interact,' and 'hand over.' Modern uses such as 交流 (exchange) and 交通 (traffic) all trace back to this core notion of crossing.
替 — two 夫 (man) over 曰 (say)
Originally written with two 立 (stand) over 白, depicting two people side by side, suggesting replacement or alternation. The form evolved to two 夫 over 曰. The core meaning shifted from 'decline/abolish' to 'replace, substitute for'.