拨

• Pinyin: bō
• Hanzi breakdown: 拨 = 扌(hand) + 发 (simplified form), indicating a hand motion of pushing or allocating

Meaning

To dial (a phone number); to allocate (funds); to push aside; to pluck (strings).

A versatile verb with multiple meanings: 1) dial a phone (拨电话), 2) allocate resources (拨款), 3) push aside with fingers (拨开), 4) pluck strings (拨弦). Context determines the meaning.

Examples

1. 我拨了好几次他的电话，都没人接。 I dialed his number several times, but no one answered.
2. 政府决定拨出专项资金用于灾后重建。 The government decided to allocate special funds for post-disaster reconstruction.
3. 她轻轻拨开窗帘，望向窗外的街道。 She gently pushed aside the curtain and looked out at the street below.

Usage Guide

Context: communication, finance, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请拨打客服热线咨询详情。(Please dial the customer service hotline for details.)
• 他拨了拨头发，露出了笑容。(He brushed his hair aside and revealed a smile.)

Don't Say

• 拨微信给我。(Don't use 拨 for messaging apps — use 发微信 instead; 拨 is for phone calls)

Origin & History

Depicts a hand movement of pushing or flicking. Extended to various actions involving similar motions.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal