The character 拨 originally depicts a hand using strength to move or separate something (like dialing a rotary phone or plucking a string), implying a deliberate, targeted initiating action. Combined with 打, a broad character meaning "to strike" or "to hit", which extends to many forceful initiating actions like "to make a call". Together, 拨打 is formed by joining these two action-oriented characters to create a more specific, combined meaning: the act of manually initiating or "striking" a sequence (as on a telephone keypad or dial) to place a call, where 拨 provides the image of precise, sequential selection and 打 provides the sense of executing the action to connect.