播

bō

扌 + 番

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

bō (verb) to broadcast; to spread

bō (verb) to sow; to scatter

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 番 represents the sound.

About

播 is a phonosemantic compound: the left component is the hand radical 扌, indicating a manual action, while the right component 番 serves as the phonetic indicator. The character originally denoted the agricultural act of scattering seeds by hand across a field. From this literal sowing, its meaning widened to encompass the widespread dissemination of any material or information. Today it typically functions as a verb for broadcasting radio or television signals, spreading news, and dispersing ideas to a large audience.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在播放音乐。

Tā zài bōfàng yīnyuè.

He is playing music.

农民在田里播种。

Nóngmín zài tián lǐ bōzhǒng.

Farmers are sowing seeds in the field.

新闻每天播报三次。

Xīnwén měitiān bōbào sān cì.

The news is broadcast three times a day.

这个电台播送古典音乐。

Zhège diàntái bōsòng gǔdiǎn yīnyuè.

This radio station broadcasts classical music.

互联网加速了信息的传播。

Hùliánwǎng jiāsù le xìnxī de chuánbō.

The internet has accelerated the spread of information.

他们通过卫星播送电视节目。

Tāmen tōngguò wèixīng bōsòng diànshì jiémù.

They broadcast television programs via satellite.

这种病毒通过空气传播得很迅速。

Zhè zhǒng bìngdú tōngguò kōngqì chuánbō de hěn xùnsù.

This virus spreads through the air very quickly.

为了推广新产品，公司决定在黄金时段播放广告。

Wèile tuīguǎng xīn chǎnpǐn, gōngsī juédìng zài huángjīn shíduàn bōfàng guǎnggào.

In order to promote the new product, the company decided to broadcast advertisements during prime time.

Related Characters

Component: 扌

Component: 番

播