「遂」約在春秋、戰國之際完成「完成義動詞＞終竟義時間副詞＞承接副詞」的演變。承接副詞「遂」主要用來表達時間的承接，兩件事的先後發生如果是偶然的，就是單純表示先後的時間承接；如果是非偶然的，就是隱含因果關係的時間承接。其中，隱含因果關係的時間承接又發展為因果承接。「遂」的演變模式與同為承接副詞的「因」、「即」不同：「遂」是從「時間」到「承接」，「因」、「即」則是從「回指」到「承接」。因此，也造成了用法的差異：「因」、「即」都有表示假設或條件承接的用法，但「遂」卻沒有。「遂」多用於時間先後的承接，又能在時間間隔較長的情況下聯繫句群，因此才會給人前後關係「不那麼密切」的感受。

The “suì ”(遂) evolution of “the verb for completeness > adverb of time for finishedness > consecutive adverb” completed between the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Consecutive adverb “suì” is mainly used to indicate chronological relationships. If the sequential occurrences of two events are accidental, “suì” simply indicates the consecutive order, but if the occurrences are non-accidental, then it implies causality combined with chronological relationships. Furthermore, the consecutiveness of time with implied causal relationships further develops into the consecutiveness of causality. The evolution of “suì” is different from those of other consecutive adverbs including “yīn” (因) and “jí ” (即). “Suì ” evolved from time to consecutive connection; but “yīn”, “jí ” evolved from anaphora to consecutive connection. Therefore, their usages are also different. “Yīn” and “jí ” can be used to express hypothetical or conditional relationships, while “suì ” can’t be used in this way. “Suì ” is mainly used to express chronological relationships, but it can also connect sentence groups over relatively long intervals, therefore “suì ” does not necessarily indicate sequential relationships of occurrences of events.