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.)
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.
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