The passive voice in Mandarin highlights when someone or something suffers an action, often marking the agent with bèi 被. It’s useful for focusing on the affected person or for tactful emphasis.
When to Use Passive 被
Use 被 when you want to show that an action happened to someone, especially if the agent matters or if the event was negative or unexpected. Passing over the agent is also natural.
Structure of Passive Sentences
The basic passive pattern is: [victim] + 被 + [agent] + [verb] + [result/compliment]. The agent can be omitted if unimportant or unknown. Adverbs and modifiers slot in as usual.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🛡️ bèi | bèi | (mark of passive voice) | |
| 🧑 rén | rén | person | |
| 📄 wénzhāng | wénzhāng | article | |
| 📰 bào | bào | newspaper | |
| 💬 shuō | shuō | to say | |
| 📝 xiě | xiě | to write | |
| 📧 fāsòng | fāsòng | to send | |
| 🔍 diànyán | diànyán | investigation | |
| 🚨 jǐngfāng | jǐngfāng | police | |
| 🗣️ tóupí | tóupí | to expose |
被 vs Other Passives
被 signals a more literal or impactful passivity, often with a negative slant. Mandarin also uses 得/让/叫 for softer or more general passives, and some passives are implicit in context.
Examples
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📰 bàozhǐ | bàozhǐ | newspaper | |
| 🧑💼 jìmì rénshì | jìmì rénshì | confidential source | |
| 🛡️ bèi | bèi | (passive marker) | |
| 📝 pàifā | pàifā | to dispatch (a reporter) | |
| 🔦 pànduàn | pànduàn | to investigate | |
| 📢 gōngbù | gōngbù | to announce/publicize | |
| 🧾 zhèngjù | zhèngjù | evidence | |
| 🚨 fēngbào | fēngbào | scandal | |
| 📰 tóupí wénzhāng | tóupí wénzhāng | exposé article | |
| 🗞️ shàngyíng miànbào | shàngyíng miànbào | front page |
Alternate Passives
Mandarin can turn verbs into nominal forms or use constructions like nà 那 + VP to imply passivity without 被. Choose based on tone and emphasis.
Summary
Passive sentences with 被 highlight when someone is affected by an action and optionally name the agent. Use it for clear, often negative passives, and remember that omitting the agent is common.
Vocabulary
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 被 | bèi | (marker for passive voice) | |
| 损害 | sǔnhài | damage | |
| 偷 | tōu | steal | |
| 打 | dǎ | hit | |
| 抢 | qiǎng | rob | |
| 发现 | fāxiàn | discover | |
| 逃跑 | táopǎo | escape | |
| 警察 | jǐngchá | police | |
| 责任 | zérèn | responsibility | |
| 赔偿 | péicháng | compensate |
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📰 bàozhǐ | bàozhǐ | newspaper | |
| 🧑💼 jìmì rénshì | jìmì rénshì | confidential source | |
| 📝 jìzhě | jìzhě | reporter | |
| 🗞️ wénzhāng | wénzhāng | article | |
| 📢 gōngbù | gōngbù | to announce | |
| 🚨 fēngbào | fēngbào | scandal | |
| 🔦 diàochá | diàochá | investigation | |
| 🛡️ bèi | bèi | (passive marker) | |
| 🧾 zhèngjù | zhèngjù | evidence | |
| 🗣️ tóupí | tóupí | to expose |
Sample Sentences
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他被小偷偷了钱包。 | Tā bèi xiǎotōu tōu le qiánbāo. | He was robbed of his wallet by a thief. | |
| 我的车被人刮坏了。 | Wǒ de chē bèi rén guā huài le. | My car was scratched by someone. | |
| 她被狗咬了一口。 | Tā bèi gǒu yǎo le yī kǒu. | She was bitten by a dog. | |
| 钱包被警察找回来了。 | Qiánbāo bèi jǐngchá zhǎo huí lái le. | The wallet was recovered by the police. | |
| 他被判赔偿受害人。 | Tā bèi pàn péicháng shòuhàirén. | He was ordered to compensate the victim. |
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025