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拨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
拨
bō
to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to dial
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to allocate
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to set aside (money)
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to poke (the fire)
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to pluck (a string instrument)
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to turn round
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
classifier: group, batch
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
拨
bō
to stir, to move, to distribute, to allocate
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2584, Very Hard
bō(bo1)bo T1
1to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc
2to dial
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March 24, 2026
拨(撥)bō(bo1)
The character 拨 (bō) primarily means 'to push aside' or 'to dial', often referring to using a hand, foot, or stick to move something. It is commonly used in contexts such as dialing a telephone number or allocating resources, and it carries a sense of active engagement with an object or situation.
Strokes8Radical扌Frequency#2584DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In modern Chinese society, dialing (拨) someone's phone number signifies connection, both personally and professionally, reflecting the importance of communication in daily life.
Memory tip
Imagine using your hand (the radical 扌) to '拨' (bō) the phone, pushing aside distractions to make a call. The '拨' character visually resembles a hand reaching out to push or dial, making it easier to remember its meaning.
Meanings of 拨
bō(bo1)
1to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc
2to dial
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 拨 means.
About 拨
拨Simplified
撥Traditional
8Strokes
扌Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#2584Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5BCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 拨
Podcast: 拨
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AI study notes for 拨
Quick Contrast
拨 (bō) vs 推 (tuī): Use 拨 when referring specifically to dialing or pushing aside with a sense of engagement, while 推 is more general for pushing without that specific context.
Usage Notes
When using 拨, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 拜 (bài), which means 'to worship'. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 拨打 (bō dǎ - to dial) and 拨款 (bō kuǎn - to allocate funds).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 拨 connects with other verbs that involve action and movement, such as 推 (tuī - to push) and 拉 (lā - to pull). Students should focus on its various meanings and contexts, especially in terms of resource allocation and technology.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 拨 with 拜 (bài), leading to incorrect phrases like 拜打 (bài dǎ) instead of 拨打 (bō dǎ). Remember that 拨 specifically involves pushing or dialing, while 拜 relates to worship.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 拨
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How to say to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc in Chinese
“to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc” in Chinese is拨bō
The character 拨 (bō) primarily means 'to push aside' or 'to dial', often referring to using a hand, foot, or stick to move something. It is commonly used in contexts such as dialing a telephone number or allocating resources, and it carries a sense of active engagement with an object or situation.
When to use 拨
When using 拨, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 拜 (bài), which means 'to worship'. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 拨打 (bō dǎ - to dial) and 拨款 (bō kuǎn - to allocate funds).
拨 or something close to it
拨 (bō) vs 推 (tuī): Use 拨 when referring specifically to dialing or pushing aside with a sense of engagement, while 推 is more general for pushing without that specific context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 拨 with 拜 (bài), leading to incorrect phrases like 拜打 (bài dǎ) instead of 拨打 (bō dǎ). Remember that 拨 specifically involves pushing or dialing, while 拜 relates to worship.
Write 拨
拨
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Practice writing 拨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 拨
拨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
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