化 huà — to make into; to change into

A way to remember it

One person standing, one person upside down beside them. Turning something on its head is the picture of change — and it is the 化 in 变化, 文化 and 化学.

A picture that makes the shape stick — not a claim about the character’s history.

Draft — written with AI help and not yet read by a person. What that means.