拨弄 (bō nòng) — to fiddle with, to toy with (physically manipulate); to stir up, to provoke (trouble, emotions, etc.)

Definition

拨弄 covers two senses: physically fiddling with something small (a guitar string, one's hair), and figuratively stirring up trouble or emotions. The second sense (e.g. 拨弄是非) is what makes it distinct from plain 弄.

verb
to fiddle withto toy with (physically manipulate)to stir upto provoke (trouble, emotions, etc.)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 拨弄。
    Tā xǐ huan bō nòng jí tā xián.
    He likes to fiddle with the guitar strings.
  • 拨弄，。
    Bié bō nòng shì fēi, dà jiā dōu hěn fán.
    Don't stir up trouble; everyone is annoyed.
  • 拨弄。
    Tā yì biān dǎ diàn huà yì biān bō nòng tóu fa.
    She fiddled with her hair while on the phone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

拨bōstir
弄nònghandle

The actions 拨 and 弄 both describe moving or handling something, so together they give the sense of fiddling or stirring.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →

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