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拨通 (bō tōng) — to get through (on the phone), to successfully reach someone by dialing

Definition

拨 (bō) means 'to dial', and 拨通 specifically means the call connects — 'to get through' on the phone, after repeated trying. Negated as 拨不通 when the line won't connect.

verb
to get through (on the phone), to successfully reach someone by dialing

Examples

  • ，拨通。
    Wǒ gěi tā dǎ le hǎo jǐ cì diàn huà, zhōng yú bō tōng le.
    I called her several times and finally got through.
  • 。
    Zhè ge hào mǎ wǒ bō le hǎo jǐ cì dōu bō bù tōng.
    I dialed this number several times but couldn't get through.
  • 拨通。
    Nǐ shì shì yòng zuò jī bō tōng tā de shǒu jī.
    Try getting through to his mobile using the landline.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

拨bōdial
通tōngthrough

拨 means dialing, and 通 means getting through, so the action reaches a phone connection.

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
手手shǒuhand
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.

Open 拨 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →
Appears in
Phones & Telecom

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