choking, fish bones

鯁 is composed of 魚 (fish) and 更 (change, further). 更 depicts the act of replacing firewood in a stove with a hand, where the firewood piles up at the feed hole during replacement, implying blockage. Fish bones are thin and sharp, often causing pain or difficulty in swallowing when they get stuck in the throat while eating fish. Thus, 鯁 describes this condition of obstruction or discomfort in the throat.