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点播 (diǎn bō) — (n.) dibble seeding; a method of sowing seeds in separate holes; (n.) on-demand selection of content (video, audio, etc.)

Definition

点播 is a HSK 7 noun with two distinct senses: the agricultural 'dibble seeding' (planting seeds in individual holes) and the modern media sense 'on-demand' (selecting a video or song to play). The media sense is far more common in everyday use.

noun
(n.) dibble seedinga method of sowing seeds in separate holes(n.) on-demand selection of content (video, audio, etc.)

Examples

  • 点播，。
    Nóng mín yòng diǎn bō fǎ lái bō zhòng yù mǐ, bì miǎn le làng fèi zhǒng zi.
    Farmers use the dibble-seeding method to plant corn, avoiding waste of seeds.
  • 点播。
    Zhè ge shì pín wǎng zhàn tí gōng yǐng shì diǎn bō fú wù.
    This video website offers on-demand movie and TV services.
  • 点播。
    Yòng hù kě yǐ tōng guò shǒu jī jìn xíng gē qǔ diǎn bō.
    Users can select songs on demand via their phones.

Origin

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.

点diǎnspot; select
播bōsow; broadcast

点播 pairs 点 “spot, select” with 播 “sow, broadcast”: it means sowing in separate spots, or a broadcast item that has been requested.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān播bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

播 is built from 扌, a hand radical, plus 番 as a sound part. The hand part marks it as something done by hand.

Open 播 →
Appears in
Agriculture & FarmingComputers & Internet

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