Passive Voice 被
Spoken Description
学会汉语被字句：本指南详细介绍被的结构、主动和被动句的差异、常用的被字句表达和标点，以及练习题和例句，帮助你用好被字句。适合初学者掌握被动语态。
Learn Chinese passive voice: this guide covers the structure of 被, differences between active and passive voice, common sentence patterns and punctuation, plus exercises and example sentences to practice good use. Suitable for beginners.
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The passive voice with 被 bèi highlights when someone or something is affected by an action, often focusing on the experiencer rather than the doer. It is commonly used to emphasize outcomes like harm, loss, or responsibility.
Formation
The basic passive construction places 被 bèi before the agent (if mentioned) and the receiver of the action after. The typical pattern is: Receiver + 被 + Agent + Verb.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 被 | bèi | passive marker / "by" | |
| 他 | tā | he / him | |
| 骗走 | piàn zǒu | cheated away / swindled away | |
| 钱 | qián | money |
Examples
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他钱包小偷。 (被; by)
He was stolen by a thief.
Translate: 'He was stolen from by a thief.' Start with 他.
钱他 骗走了。 (be; passive marker)
The money was cheated away by him.
Use 被 to form the passive: 钱 ___ 他 骗走了。 (be; passive marker)
🐉 Passive Voice 被
The passive voice with 被 bèi highlights when someone or something is affected by an action, often focusing on the experiencer rather than the doer. It is commonly used to emphasize outcomes like harm, loss, or responsibility.
Formation
The basic passive construction places 被 bèi before the agent (if mentioned) and the receiver of the action after. The typical pattern is: Receiver + 被 + Agent + Verb.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 被 | bèi | passive marker / "by" | |
| 他 | tā | he / him | |
| 骗走 | piàn zǒu | cheated away / swindled away | |
| 钱 | qián | money |
Examples
他钱包小偷。 (被; by)
He was stolen by a thief.
Translate: 'He was stolen from by a thief.' Start with 他.
钱他 骗走了。 (be; passive marker)
The money was cheated away by him.
Use 被 to form the passive: 钱 ___ 他 骗走了。 (be; passive marker)
When to Use
Use 被 bèi to highlight that someone was affected by an action, especially if the action was negative or if the agent is unimportant or unknown. It is natural in news reports, complaints, and storytelling.
Omitting the Agent
The agent after 被 bèi can be left out if it is unknown, irrelevant, or deliberately hidden. This keeps the focus on the event and the person who experienced it.
我的手机偷 了。 (be; passive marker)
My phone was stolen.
Omit the agent: 我的手机 ___ 偷 了。 (be; passive marker)
Alternative Passives
Other passive-like structures include 让 ràng, 叫 jiào, and 给 gěi, which can sound more colloquial or less formal. They also shift emphasis slightly depending on context.
张师傅电话小王。 (call; pass. marker)
Zhang called (was called by) Xiao Wang.
Colloquial passive: 张师傅 ___ 电话 ___ 小王___。 (call; pass. marker)
Summary
被 bèi marks the passive voice by placing the receiver of the action first and optionally naming the agent. It is mainly used to highlight affected parties and is common in negative or neutral reports.
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