The paper focuses on the using of causative markers “教 (jiao)” and “交 (jiao)” from the view of the using of word variants, which is to reveal the standardization of words in the Ming Dynasty. This paper uses Jinpingmei (two versions), Shuihuzhuan (three versions), Qingping Shan Tanghua Ben, Gujin Xiaoshuo, Zhongyi Zhiyan, Xunshi Pinghua as references. This paper finds that: Using as causative markers, the standardized writing form “教 (jiao)” and the variant writing form “交 (jiao)” are mixed more frequently in Jinpingmei Cihua Ben, Shuihuzhuan Rongyutang Ben and Tianqi Keben and Qingping Shan Tanghua Ben than in Jinpingmei Chongzhen Ben, Shuihuzhuan Guanhuatang Ben and Gujin Xiaoshuo. This reveals the standardization of words in the Ming Dynasty. Both the internal factors of language and the external factors influence the disappearing of “ 交 (jiao)”.“教 (jiao)” are completely dominant in both Zhongyi Zhiyan and Xunshi Pinghua, which is closely related to the characteristic of this two documents.

In the oral literature of Qing Dynasty, there are a lot of Chanese characters with variant forms, including the standardized and vulgar forms, the traditional and simplified forms, and the ancient and modern forms. These variant forms of the same character ususlly can tell us the evolution of the word meaning and pronunciation, and also can tell us the new difference of the wording meaning and pronunciation between the forms of the character in Qing Dynasty, such as “得dĕi-得„ (《Yu yen tzuerh chi》)、哪-那„ (《Yu yen tzuerh chi》)、狠/哏-很、這麼-這們、喝-欱、他-怹tān（《Yan jingfuyu》）”. Therefore, the variant forms of the same character have great value in the history of words. In the literature of dialect in Qing Dynasty, the words of dialect recorded the pronunciation of dialect very well, yet these dialect words have not been paid much attention to in academic research. It is expected that these variant forms of the same character can draw more attention in researching of ancient books.