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March 24, 2026
撥bō(bo1)
The character 撥 (bō) primarily means 'to stir' or 'to move' in a physical sense, such as stirring a liquid. It can also imply the act of distributing or allocating resources or items. Common contexts for its use include cooking, resource management, and physical movements.
Strokes15Radical扌Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cooking, stirring is an essential technique, often linked to achieving the right flavor and consistency in dishes. The act of stirring symbolizes careful attention to detail in food preparation, reflecting a broader cultural value placed on culinary skills.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef 'stirring' a pot of stew with a big spoon. The character 撥 has the radical for hand (扌) on the left, symbolizing the action of stirring with your hand, while the right part suggests movement. Think of 'bō' as the sound of a bubbling pot as you stir.
Meanings of 撥
bō(bo1)
1to stir, to move, to distribute, to allocate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 撥
撥Simplified
15Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 撥
Podcast: 撥
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AI Study Notes for 撥
Quick Contrast
拨 (bō) vs 摇 (yáo) — use 撥 for stirring or moving substances, while 摇 is specifically for shaking or swaying.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef 'stirring' a pot of stew with a big spoon. The character 撥 has the radical for hand (扌) on the left, symbolizing the action of stirring with your hand, while the right part suggests movement. Think of 'bō' as the sound of a bubbling pot as you stir.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 撥 is pronounced with a high-level tone (bō). It is often used in both formal and informal contexts but is particularly relevant in culinary or logistical settings. Common collocations include 撥水 (stir water) and 撥款 (allocate funds).
HSK Study Tips
While 撥 is not included in HSK levels, it connects with other movement-related verbs such as 移动 (yídòng - to move) and 搬 (bān - to carry). Focus on practicing its usage in sentences related to cooking and resource allocation for better retention.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cooking, stirring is an essential technique, often linked to achieving the right flavor and consistency in dishes. The act of stirring symbolizes careful attention to detail in food preparation, reflecting a broader cultural value placed on culinary skills.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 撥 with similar verbs like 搬 (bān - to carry), leading to sentences like '我撥书' (I stir books), which is incorrect. The correct usage would be '我搬书' (I move books).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 撥
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Cultural Notes for 撥
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cooking, stirring is an essential technique, often linked to achieving the right flavor and consistency in dishes. The act of stirring symbolizes careful attention to detail in food preparation, reflecting a broader cultural value placed on culinary skills.
Word Family of 撥
Words Containing This Character20
拨bōto dial撥
拨打bōdǎto call撥打
拨款bōkuǎnto allocate funds撥款
拨号to dial a telephone number撥號
划拨to assign劃撥
挑拨tiǎobōto instigate挑撥
拨开to part撥開
土拨鼠groundhog土撥鼠
拨付appropriate sum of money撥付
调拨to allocate調撥
拨乱反正bring order out of chaos撥亂反正
挑拨离间to sow dissension (idiom); to drive a wedge between挑撥離間
拨弄to fiddle with撥弄
点拨to give advice點撥
撩拨to provoke撩撥
拨云见日lit. to dispel the clouds and see the sun (idiom); fig. to restore justice撥雲見日
拨浪鼓rattle-drum撥浪鼓
拨冗to find time to do sth in the midst of pressing affairs撥冗
拨动to stir撥動
拨火棍poker撥火棍
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 拨 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 撥
You can say '我需要撥水煮面' (I need to stir water to cook the noodles).
Yes, it can be part of phrases relating to distribution, such as 撥款 (allocate funds).
Yes, it can also refer to the allocation of intangible resources, like time or attention.
