备bèi

The traditional form 備 (bèi, "to prepare") combines a weapon storehouse on the left with a person on the right, depicting the act of fully equipping oneself — a meaning that has remained unchanged for over two millennia. The simplified 备 emerged in the twentieth century, collapsing the right side into a single stroke while preserving the essential idea of completeness. In compounds like 準備 (to prepare) and 備份 (backup), the character retains its ancient promise of having everything in place.