Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 延 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "tell false words". The meaning later shifted to "boast", "increase", and "give birth".

Evolution

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Regular script

Modern

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