The kanji 代 primarily conveys the idea of "generation," "age," "substitute," or "represent." It implies a transfer of something, whether it be time, responsibility, or something else, from one entity to another. It can also signify a "period" or "era."

・On-yomi (音読み): ダイ (dai), タイ (tai) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): か（わる） (ka(waru)) - to replace, to be substituted; しろ (shiro) - price, cost; よ (yo) - generation

⚫︎時代 (jidai) Translation: Era, period ⚫︎代表 (daihyou) Translation: Representative ⚫︎交代 (koutai) Translation: Change, relief, shift

The kanji 代 is a pictograph. It depicts a person on top of a base or platform. It originally meant to "stand" or "replace." Over time, the meaning evolved to encompass concepts like generations and substitutions. It is suggested that the top part represents a person and the bottom part possibly a representation of a platform or support, thus suggesting a person's replacement or their role over time.