Chinese word

拨号

Pronunciation

Pinyinbō hào

Meaning

  • verbdial

Example

拨号时要注意区号。bō hào shí yào zhù yì qū hào

Pay attention to the area code when dialing.

Illustration for 拨号 (dial)

More examples

忘了保存号码，就要重新拨号。wàng le bǎo cún hào mǎ jiù yào chóng xīn bō hào

If you forget to save the number, you have to dial it again.

Core concept

Choosing digits in order tells a phone which connection to open.

Common phrases

  • 用座机拨号yòng zuò jī bō hào

    dial using a landline

  • 给他拨号gěi tā bō hào

    dial him

  • 长途拨号cháng tú bō hào

    dial a long-distance number

Similar words

打电话dǎ diàn huà: Make a phone call to speak with someone.
拨打bō dǎ: Dial a phone number to place an outgoing call.
打给dǎ gěi: Call someone, using a casual spoken expression.

Definition in Chinese

在电话设备上通过按键或触屏选择并输入对方号码以开始通话或发起呼叫请求的动作。zài diàn huà shè bèi shàng tōng guò àn jiàn huò chù píng xuǎn zé bìng shū rù duì fāng hào mǎ yǐ kāi shǐ tōng huà huò fā qǐ hū jiào qǐng qiú de dòng zuò

Word origin

拨 (bō, "move or turn") + 号 (hào, "number") forms a transparent compound for selecting a telephone number.

Usage tips

  • In English, dial can evoke a rotary phone, but 拨号 (bōhào, "dialing") remains ordinary for entering digits on a modern touchscreen.

Other meanings

  • dialingnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word