拨火棍 (bō huǒ gùn) — poker (for fire)

Definition

noun

poker (for fire)

Measure word · 根

拨火棍，。
Tā yòng bō huǒ gùn bō le bō tàn huǒ, ràng huǒ shāo dé gèng wàng xiē.
He used the poker to stir the charcoal fire to make it burn brighter.
拨火棍，。
Lǎo lǐ bǎ bō huǒ gùn kào zài lú zi biān, zhǔn bèi shēng huǒ zuò fàn.
Old Li leaned the poker against the stove, ready to light a fire and cook.
拨火棍，。
Zhè bǎ bō huǒ gùn shì yòng tiě zuò de, yòu cháng yòu jiē shi.
This poker is made of iron, long and sturdy.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

拨火poke fire

动宾Verb + object

拨火 means poke the fire, and 棍 is the stick used to do it.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 撥; 拨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

發

發fā撥bō

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 撥 combines 手 (hand) with 發, which gives the sound; the simplified 拨 is a different form.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木昆棍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

昆

昆kūn棍gùn(r)

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棍 has 木 (tree) beside 昆, which gives its sound.