播 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) to sow (seeds); to spread (ideas, rumors etc); to broadcast (radio signals etc); Taiwan pr. [bo4]
How to write 播, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 播
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to sow (seeds); to spread (ideas, rumors etc); to broadcast (radio signals etc)
- Taiwan pr. [bo4]
How 播 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To sow seeds 番 by hand 扌; 番 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 播
A hand 扌 scattering seeds 番 across a field: that is sowing. Today the same idea of scattering applies to sending sound and pictures out over the air, so 播 (bō) also means to broadcast.
播 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 播放 (bōfàng), 广播 (guǎngbō), 直播 (zhíbō), and 传播 (chuánbō). It covers playing media, airing programs, and spreading ideas or diseases. Example: 今晚八点播出新闻。(Jīnwǎn bā diǎn bōchū xīnwén.) The news airs at eight tonight.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 播 with 翻 (fān, to turn over), since both contain 番. Remember that 播 has the hand radical 扌 on the left, while 翻 has 羽 (wings) on the right.
Common words with 播
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 播放 | bōfàng | to broadcast; to transmit (by radio or TV) | HSK 3 |
| 广播 | guǎngbō | broadcast; broadcasting | HSK 3 |
| 直播 | zhíbō | (TV, radio) to broadcast live; live broadcast | HSK 3 |
| 传播 | chuánbō | to disseminate; to propagate; to spread | HSK 3 |
| 播出 | bōchū | to broadcast; to air (a TV program etc) | HSK 3 |
| 转播 | zhuǎnbō | relay; broadcast (on radio or TV) | HSK 7-9 |
| 重播 | chóngbō | to replay; to rerun | HSK 7-9 |
| 演播室 | yǎnbōshì | broadcasting studio | HSK 7-9 |
| 播报 | bōbào | to announce; to read (the news) | |
| 散播 | sànbō | to spread; to disperse | |
| 现场直播 | xiànchǎngzhíbō | on-the-spot live broadcast | |
| 主播 | zhǔbō | (news) anchor; (program) host; (Internet) streamer | |
| 播种 | bōzhǒng | to sow seeds | |
| 插播 | chābō | to interrupt (a radio or TV program) with a commercial insert, breaking news etc; to put a |
播 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 播
How many strokes are in 播?
播 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 播 mean?
播 (bō) means (bound form) to sow (seeds); to spread (ideas, rumors etc); to broadcast (radio signals etc); Taiwan pr. [bo4]. A common word with it is 播放 (bōfàng), meaning "to broadcast; to transmit (by radio or TV)".
How do you pronounce 播?
播 is pronounced bō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 播?
The radical of 播 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 播 under this radical.
Is 播 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 播 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Is 播 pronounced bō or bò?
In mainland Mandarin it is first tone, bō. In Taiwan many speakers say fourth tone, bò, so you may hear both.
What is the difference between 播放 and 播出?
播放 (bōfàng) means to play something, like a video, song, or recording, and is common with devices and apps. 播出 (bōchū) focuses on a station or channel airing a program at a scheduled time.