The Passive 'bèi' (被): How Things Happen to You
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use {被|bèi} to indicate that the subject of a sentence is the recipient of an action rather than the doer.
- Structure: Receiver + {被|bèi} + Agent + Verb + Result/Complement. Example: {他|tā}{被|bèi}{老师|lǎoshī}{批评|pīpíng}{了|le}.
- The agent can be omitted if unknown or irrelevant. Example: {钱包|qiánbāo}{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{了|le}.
- Usually implies a negative or unfortunate outcome. Example: {蛋糕|dàngāo}{被|bèi}{弟弟|dìdi}{吃掉|chīdiào}{了|le}.
Overview
The 被 (bèi) construction is the cornerstone of the passive voice in Mandarin Chinese. Unlike English, which modifies the verb itself (e.g., 'break' becomes 'was broken'), Chinese uses a structural particle, 被, to signal that the subject of the sentence is the receiver of an action, not the one performing it. This simple shift in structure fundamentally changes the sentence's focus, moving it from the agent (the doer) to the person or thing being acted upon.
Historically, the character 被 originally meant 'a blanket' and later evolved to mean 'to cover' or 'to suffer.' This origin story is crucial because it gives the 被 construction its default flavor: misfortune, adversity, or events outside of one's control. It’s the natural choice for complaining that 我的自行车被偷了 (wǒ de zìxíngchē bèi tōule) – 'My bicycle was stolen.' You are the 'victim' of the action.
However, for a B2 learner, it's vital to understand that this is only half the story. In modern Chinese, 被 has expanded far beyond its negative roots. It is now a standard, neutral tool in formal writing, news reporting, scientific papers, and official announcements.
In these contexts, its job is simply to create an objective, passive sentence, stripping away the 'unfortunate' connotation entirely. Mastering 被 means navigating this duality: its classic 'victim' energy and its modern, objective function.
How This Grammar Works
被 sentence is to restructure a standard active sentence. A typical Chinese active sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern. For example: 一个黑客(S) 攻击了(V) 我们的系统(O) (yī gè hēikè gōngjīle wǒmen de xìtǒng) – 'A hacker attacked our system.'被, the object of the active sentence, 我们的系统 (wǒmen de xìtǒng), becomes the new subject (the receiver). The agent, 一个黑客 (yī gè hēikè), is then introduced by 被. The sentence becomes: 我们的系统 被 一个黑客 攻击了 (Wǒmen de xìtǒng bèi yī gè hēikè gōngjīle).被 sentence is almost never complete with just [Receiver] + 被 + [Agent] + [Verb]. Chinese grammar demands a sense of result or completion after the verb in a passive construction. The action cannot just be left hanging.我的报告被老板看 (Wǒ de bàogào bèi lǎobǎn kàn) sounds jarring and unfinished to a native speaker. It begs the question, "...and then what?"- The aspect particle
了(le): Indicates the action is completed. This is the most common addition.我的报告被老板看了(Wǒ de bàogào bèi lǎobǎn kànle) – 'My report was read by the boss.' - Result Complements: Specify the outcome of the verb. Examples include
完(wán - finished),对(duì - correct),错(cuò - wrong),破(pò - broken).杯子被他打碎了(Bēizi bèi tā dǎsuìle) – 'The cup was shattered by him.' - Directional Complements: Indicate the direction or disposal of the object, such as
走(zǒu - away),掉(diào - off/away),下去(xiàqù - down).垃圾被扔掉了(Lājī bèi rēngdiàole) – 'The trash was thrown away.' - Quantifiers or Duration Phrases: Describe the extent or duration of the action.
他被罚站了一个小时(Tā bèi fá zhànle yī gè xiǎoshí) – 'He was punished by being made to stand for an hour.'
Formation Pattern
被 sentences. All adverbs, negations, and time words must be placed before the 被 particle.
这棵树 | zhè kē shù | This tree |
被 | bèi | was/by |
大风 | dàfēng | the strong wind |
刮倒 | guādǎo | blow down |
了 | le | (completed action) |
这棵树被大风刮倒了。 (Zhè kē shù bèi dàfēng guādǎole.) – 'This tree was blown down by the strong wind.'
[Receiver] + 被 + [Verb] + [Other Element]
我的钱包被偷了。 (Wǒ de qiánbāo bèi tōule.) – 'My wallet was stolen.' (The agent is unknown.)
法律已经被修改了。 (Fǎlǜ yǐjīng bèi xiūgǎile.) – 'The law has already been amended.' (The agent, the legislature, is obvious.)
被
被. The most common negator is 没有 (méiyǒu) or 没 (méi), as 被 sentences usually discuss past, completed events. 不 (bù) is rare and used only for habitual or future situations.
[Receiver] + 没有 + 被 + (Agent) + [Verb] (Note: 了 is dropped when using 没)
那个问题还没有被解决。 (Nàge wèntí hái méiyǒu bèi jiějué.) – 'That problem has not yet been solved.'
他没有被公司录取。 (Tā méiyǒu bèi gōngsī lùqǔ.) – 'He was not accepted by the company.'
被, as they frame the entire passive event.
[Receiver] + [Time/Adverb/Modal Verb] + 被 + (Agent) + [Verb] + [Other Element]
我的车昨天被刮了。 (Wǒ de chē zuótiān bèi guāle.) – 'My car was scratched yesterday.'
所有的蛋糕都已经被吃完了。 (Suǒyǒu de dàngāo dōu yǐjīng bèi chīwánle.) – 'All the cake has already been eaten.'
这个秘密一定会被人发现的。 (Zhège mìmì yīdìng huì bèi rén fāxiàn de.) – 'This secret will definitely be discovered by someone.'
When To Use It
被 with bad news. Its function is sophisticated and context-dependent.被's history. When something unfortunate, undesirable, or unexpected happens to someone or something, 被 is the most natural and common choice. It conveys a clear sense of victimhood or passivity.他被老板批评了一顿。(Tā bèi lǎobǎn pīpíngle yī dùn.) – 'He was criticized by the boss.'我们都被这个消息骗了。(Wǒmen dōu bèi zhège xiāoxī piànle.) – 'We were all deceived by this news.'他的计划被拒绝了。(Tā de jìhuà bèi jùjuéle.) – 'His plan was rejected.'
被 sheds its negative skin and becomes a neutral tool for objectivity. Here, its job is simply to report an event without focusing on the agent, much like the passive voice in English.一项新政策被正式实施。(Yī xiàng xīn zhèngcè bèi zhèngshì shíshī.) – 'A new policy was officially implemented.' (Formal announcement)这座桥梁被设计用来抵抗八级地震。(Zhè zuò qiáoliáng bèi shèjì yònglái dǐkàng bā jí dìzhèn.) – 'This bridge was designed to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake.' (Technical description)三名嫌疑人已被警方逮捕。(Sān míng xiányírén yǐ bèi jǐngfāng dàibǔ.) – 'Three suspects have been arrested by the police.' (News report)
被 is a powerful tool for controlling information. You can use it to deliberately place emphasis on the receiver and the outcome. This is useful when the agent is unknown, irrelevant, or when you strategically wish to avoid naming them.- Focusing on the result:
这幅画终于被修复好了。(Zhè fú huà zhōngyú bèi xiūfù hǎole.) – 'This painting has finally been restored.' The focus is on the painting's new condition, not who did the restoring. - Avoiding blame: Imagine a child breaks a vase. They might say
花瓶被弄碎了(huāpíng bèi nòng suìle) – 'The vase was broken,' conveniently omitting the agent (themselves).
被 for positive events, modern colloquial language is more flexible. Young people, especially online, sometimes use 被 to express a strong passive experience, even if positive. It creates a sense of being 'hit' or overwhelmed by an external action.我被他的才华圈粉了。(Wǒ bèi tā de cáihuá quānfěnle.) – 'I was won over as a fan by his talent.' (Lit. 'I was circled as a fan.')今天我被老板表扬了，真开心！(Jīntiān wǒ bèi lǎobǎn biǎoyángle, zhēn kāixīn!) – 'I was praised by my boss today, so happy!'
Common Mistakes
*书被他借 is incomplete. You must add an element to show the result.- Incorrect:
*蛋糕被吃了。(Sounds like it's in the middle of being eaten) - Correct:
蛋糕被吃完了。(The cake was eaten up/finished.) or蛋糕被人吃了。(The cake was eaten by someone.)
被. They modify the entire event of 'being acted upon.'- Incorrect:
*我的护照被没找到。 - Correct:
我的护照没被找到。(Wǒ de hùzhào méi bèi zhǎodào.) – 'My passport wasn't found.'
被 for Clearly Positive Events被 for a simple positive action can sound awkward or imply reluctance. For receiving things like invitations or gifts, the active voice or other verbs are often better.- Awkward:
我被朋友邀请去参加婚礼。(Wǒ bèi péngyǒu yāoqǐng qù cānjiā hūnlǐ.) - More Natural:
我朋友邀请我去参加婚礼。(Wǒ péngyǒu yāoqǐng wǒ qù cānjiā hūnlǐ.) – 'My friend invited me to attend the wedding.' - Also Natural:
我收到了朋友的婚礼请柬。(Wǒ shōudàole péngyǒu de hūnlǐ qǐngjiǎn.) – 'I received my friend's wedding invitation.'
被 (bèi) and 把 (bǎ) Structures被 and 把 restructure sentences and require a resultative element after the verb, which confuses many learners. They are opposites in terms of voice.被 (bèi) Sentence | 把 (bǎ) Sentence |窗户被风吹开了。 (The window was blown open by the wind.) | 风把窗户吹开了。 (The wind blew the window open.) |被 is the agent, while the noun right after 把 is the object being disposed of.Real Conversations
Seeing 被 in context shows how its meaning shifts from informal complaints to neutral statements.
Scenario 1
- A: 气死我了，我的外卖好像被别人拿走了！
(Qì sǐ wǒle, wǒ de wàimài hǎoxiàng bèi biérén názǒule!)
'I'm so mad, I think my food delivery was taken by someone else!'
- B: 不会吧？你确定吗？钱能被退回来吗？
(Bù huì ba? Nǐ quèdìng ma? Qián néng bèi tuì huílái ma?)
'No way? Are you sure? Can the money be refunded?'
Scenario 2
- Manager: @全体成员，原定于周五的发布日期被推迟到下周一了，请周知。
(@quántǐ chéngyuán, yuán dìng yú zhōuwǔ de fābù rìqī bèi tuīchí dào xiàzhōu yī le, qǐng zhōuzhī.)
'@everyone, the original Friday release date has been postponed to next Monday. Please be advised.'
Scenario 3
- Post: 我的设计竟然被偶像转发了！感觉像做梦一样！
(Wǒ de shèjì jìngrán bèi ǒuxiàng zhuǎnfāle! Gǎnjué xiàng zuòmèng yīyàng!)
'My design was unexpectedly reposted by my idol! It feels like a dream!'
Quick FAQ
叫 (jiào) or 让 (ràng) instead of 被 (bèi)?Yes, but only in informal, spoken Chinese and almost exclusively for negative events. 叫 and 让 are less formal synonyms for 被. For example, 我的手机叫人偷了 (Wǒ de shǒujī jiào rén tōule). However, you can never use them in formal writing or for neutral/objective statements. 被 is the only one that works across all registers.
被 really always negative? I heard 我被录取了 (wǒ bèi lùqǔle) for 'I was accepted to a university.'This is a great example of modern, evolving usage. While the traditional 'rule' is that 被 is for misfortune, in cases like being accepted by a school (被录取), winning a prize (被选中), or becoming a fan (被圈粉), the passive structure emphasizes that a significant result has happened to you due to an external force. It highlights your status as the receiver of this major outcome, and this focus is more important than the old negative connotation.
受到 (shòudào) different from 被?受到 (shòudào) also means 'to receive' and implies passivity, but it is primarily used with abstract, two-character nouns like 影响 (yǐngxiǎng - influence), 批评 (pīpíng - criticism), 欢迎 (huānyíng - welcome), or 教育 (jiàoyù - education). For example, 他受到了大家的欢迎 (Tā shòudàole dàjiā de huānyíng). 被 is much broader; it can be followed by a verb phrase describing a concrete action. You can say 他被批评了 (tā bèi pīpíngle) but you cannot say 他的手机受到偷了 (tāde shǒujī shòudào tōule).
It is extremely rare. For all practical purposes at the B2 level and beyond, you should consider the 'other element' (like 了, 完, 走, etc.) a mandatory part of the structure. Leaving it out will almost always result in an incomplete and ungrammatical sentence.
Basic {被|bèi} Sentence Structure
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Receiver + 被 + Agent + Verb
|
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{拿走|názǒu}{了|le}
|
|
Negative
|
Receiver + 没(有) + 被 + Agent + Verb
|
{书|shū}{没|méi}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{拿走|názǒu}
|
|
Question
|
Receiver + 被 + Agent + Verb + 了吗?
|
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{拿走|názǒu}{了|le}{吗|ma}?
|
|
Agentless
|
Receiver + 被 + Verb
|
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{拿走|názǒu}{了|le}
|
|
Modal
|
Receiver + 被 + Agent + 能/会 + Verb
|
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{能|néng}{拿走|názǒu}
|
|
Adverbial
|
Receiver + 被 + Agent + Adverb + Verb
|
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{偷偷|tōutōu}{拿走|názǒu}{了|le}
|
Meanings
The {被|bèi} construction is the standard way to form the passive voice in Chinese, shifting focus from the actor to the object affected.
Adversarial Passive
Used to describe negative or unwanted occurrences.
“{花瓶|huāpíng}{被|bèi}{猫|māo}{打碎|dǎsuì}{了|le}.”
“{作业|zuòyè}{被|bèi}{雨|yǔ}{淋湿|línshī}{了|le}.”
Neutral/Formal Passive
Used in formal writing or news to describe events objectively.
“{这项|zhèxiàng}{计划|jìhuà}{被|bèi}{委员会|wěiyuánhuì}{批准|pīzhǔn}{了|le}.”
“{新|xīn}{法律|fǎlǜ}{被|bèi}{政府|zhèngfǔ}{通过|tōngguò}{了|le}.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard
|
Subj + 被 + Agent + Verb
|
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{雨|yǔ}{淋|lín}{了|le}
|
|
Negative
|
Subj + 没 + 被 + Agent + Verb
|
{他|tā}{没|méi}{被|bèi}{雨|yǔ}{淋|lín}
|
|
Question
|
Subj + 被 + Agent + Verb + 吗?
|
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{雨|yǔ}{淋|lín}{了|le}{吗|ma}?
|
|
Agentless
|
Subj + 被 + Verb
|
{门|mén}{被|bèi}{锁|suǒ}{了|le}
|
|
Resultative
|
Subj + 被 + Agent + Verb + Result
|
{杯子|bēizi}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{打碎|dǎsuì}{了|le}
|
|
Modal
|
Subj + 被 + Agent + 可以/应该 + Verb
|
{这|zhè}{事|shì}{被|bèi}{他|tā}{可以|kěyǐ}{解决|jiějué}
|
Formality Spectrum
{窗户|chuānghu}{被|bèi}{破坏|pòhuài}{了|le} (Broken object)
{窗户|chuānghu}{被|bèi}{打碎|dǎsuì}{了|le} (Broken object)
{窗户|chuānghu}{被|bèi}{弄|nòng}{坏|huài}{了|le} (Broken object)
{窗户|chuānghu}{被|bèi}{搞|gǎo}{挂|guà}{了|le} (Broken object)
The {被|bèi} Universe
Adversarial
- 偷 stolen
- 打碎 broken
Formal
- 批准 approved
- 通过 passed
Examples by Level
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{拿走|názǒu}{了|le}
The book was taken away.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{老师|lǎoshī}{叫|jiào}{了|le}
He was called by the teacher.
{门|mén}{被|bèi}{关上|guānshàng}{了|le}
The door was closed.
{饭|fàn}{被|bèi}{吃光|chīguāng}{了|le}
The food was eaten up.
{我的|wǒde}{自行车|zìxíngchē}{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{了|le}
My bike was stolen.
{作业|zuòyè}{被|bèi}{狗|gǒu}{撕坏|sīhuài}{了|le}
The homework was torn by the dog.
{窗户|chuānghu}{被|bèi}{风|fēng}{吹开|chuīkāi}{了|le}
The window was blown open by the wind.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{雨|yǔ}{淋湿|línshī}{了|le}
He was soaked by the rain.
{那|nà}{座|zuò}{桥|qiáo}{被|bèi}{政府|zhèngfǔ}{拆除|chāichú}{了|le}
That bridge was demolished by the government.
{会议|huìyì}{被|bèi}{推迟|tuīchí}{到|dào}{明天|míngtiān}{了|le}
The meeting was postponed until tomorrow.
{这|zhè}{件|jiàn}{事|shì}{被|bèi}{大家|dàjiā}{讨论|tǎolùn}{了|le}{很久|hěnjiǔ}
This matter has been discussed by everyone for a long time.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{公司|gōngsī}{派往|pàiwǎng}{上海|shànghǎi}
He was sent to Shanghai by the company.
{该|gāi}{方案|fāng'àn}{被|bèi}{专家|zhuānjiā}{组|zǔ}{一致|yīzhì}{否决|fǒujué}{了|le}
The plan was unanimously rejected by the expert group.
{这|zhè}{部|bù}{电影|diànyǐng}{被|bèi}{评论家|pínglùnjiā}{誉为|yùwéi}{经典|jīngdiǎn}
This film was hailed as a classic by critics.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{怀疑|huáiyí}{与|yǔ}{这|zhè}{起|qǐ}{案件|ànjiàn}{有关|yǒuguān}
He is suspected of being involved in this case.
{所有|suǒyǒu}{证据|zhèngjù}{都|dōu}{被|bèi}{销毁|xiāohuǐ}{了|le}
All evidence has been destroyed.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{时代|shídài}{潮流|cháoliú}{所|suǒ}{裹挟|guǒxié}
He was swept away by the tide of the times.
{此|cǐ}{项|xiàng}{研究|yánjiū}{被|bèi}{学术界|xuéshùjiè}{广泛|guǎngfàn}{引用|yǐnyòng}
This research is widely cited by the academic community.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{舆论|yúlùn}{推向|tuīxiàng}{了|le}{风口浪尖|fēngkǒulàngjiān}
He was pushed to the forefront of public opinion.
{这|zhè}{项|xiàng}{权利|quánlì}{被|bèi}{法律|fǎlǜ}{明确|míngquè}{保护|bǎohù}
This right is clearly protected by law.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{迫|pò}{接受|jiēshòu}{了|le}{这个|zhège}{残酷|cánkù}{的|de}{现实|xiànshí}
He was forced to accept this cruel reality.
{该|gāi}{建筑|jiànzhù}{被|bèi}{列为|lièwéi}{国家|guójiā}{重点|zhòngdiǎn}{保护|bǎohù}{文物|wénwù}
The building was listed as a national key cultural relic.
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{视为|shìwéi}{当代|dāngdài}{最|zuì}{伟大|wěidà}{的|de}{作家|zuòjiā}
He is regarded as the greatest writer of the contemporary era.
{这些|zhèxiē}{规则|guīzé}{被|bèi}{长期|chángqī}{以来|yǐlái}{的|de}{习俗|xísú}{所|suǒ}{固化|gùhuà}
These rules have been solidified by long-standing customs.
Easily Confused
Both involve a specific word order and a result, but they focus on different sides of the action.
Both can mean 'to be caused by', but 让 is more colloquial and can mean 'to let'.
叫 is very informal, often used in spoken Chinese.
Common Mistakes
{我|wǒ}{被|bèi}{送|sòng}{礼物|lǐwù}
{他|tā}{送|sòng}{我|wǒ}{礼物|lǐwù}
{被|bèi}{他|tā}{打|dǎ}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{打|dǎ}{了|le}
{被|bèi}{打|dǎ}{他|tā}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{打|dǎ}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{吃|chī}{了|le}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{人|rén}{吃|chī}{了|le}
{我|wǒ}{被|bèi}{看|kàn}{书}
{书|shū}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{看|kàn}{了|le}
{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{手机|shǒujī}
{手机|shǒujī}{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{了|le}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{很|hěn}{生气}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{人|rén}{气|qì}{了|le}
{这|zhè}{事|shì}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{做|zuò}
{这|zhè}{事|shì}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{做完|zuòwán}{了|le}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{喜欢}
{我|wǒ}{喜欢|xǐhuān}{他|tā}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{我|wǒ}{看见}
{我|wǒ}{看见|kànjiàn}{了|le}{他|tā}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{认为|rènwéi}{是|shì}{天才}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{视为|shìwéi}{天才}
{被|bèi}{大家|dàjiā}{知道}
{被|bèi}{大家|dàjiā}{所|suǒ}{知}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{强迫|qiǎngpò}{去|qù}
{他|tā}{被|bèi}{迫|pò}{去|qù}
Sentence Patterns
___ 被 ___ (verb) 了。
___ 被 ___ (verb) 得很惨。
___ 被 ___ (verb) 到了 ___。
___ 被 ___ (verb) 视为 ___。
Real World Usage
{我|wǒ}{的|de}{账号|zhànghào}{被|bèi}{封|fēng}{了|le}!
{该|gāi}{地区|dìqū}{被|bèi}{洪水|hóngshuǐ}{淹没|yānmò}{了|le}。
{我|wǒ}{被|bèi}{公司|gōngsī}{委以重任|wěiyǐzhòngrèn}。
{订单|dìngdān}{被|bèi}{取消|qǔxiāo}{了|le}。
{我|wǒ}{被|bèi}{放|fàng}{鸽子|gēzi}{了|le}。
{航班|hángbān}{被|bèi}{延误|yánwù}{了|le}。
Avoid Positive Passive
Don't Forget the Result
Agent Omission
Internet Usage
Smart Tips
Use {被|bèi} with formal verbs like {实施|shíshī} or {批准|pīzhǔn}.
Use {被|bèi} to emphasize your misfortune.
Omit the agent to sound natural.
Switch to active voice.
Pronunciation
Tone of Bèi
Bèi is 4th tone, falling sharply.
Emphasis
Receiver ↑ 被 ↓ Agent
Emphasizing the victim.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of {被|bèi} as a 'blanket' (sounds like 'bèi') that covers the subject, hiding their agency.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing under a heavy, dark blanket labeled '被'. They are being pushed by someone else.
Rhyme
When the subject is the one who gets hit, use {被|bèi} to make it fit.
Story
My phone was stolen. {我的|wǒde}{手机|shǒujī}{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{了|le}. I felt sad. Then my cake was eaten. {蛋糕|dàngāo}{被|bèi}{吃|chī}{了|le}. Everything is being done to me!
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about things that went wrong today using the {被|bèi} structure.
Cultural Notes
Used heavily in news to report on government actions.
Similar usage, but slightly more flexible in casual speech.
Used to describe forced situations, e.g., 'forced to be employed'.
Originally, {被|bèi} meant 'to cover' or 'to quilt'.
Conversation Starters
What happened to your phone?
Why was the meeting canceled?
How do you feel about the new policy?
What is the most common complaint in your city?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
我的书 ___ 他拿走了。
Find and fix the mistake:
他被我喜欢。
Select the natural sentence.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
A: 你的车呢? B: ___.
Use: 被, 老师, 批评, 他
Which is most formal?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises我的书 ___ 他拿走了。
Find and fix the mistake:
他被我喜欢。
Select the natural sentence.
了 / 被 / 偷 / 手机 / 我
A: 你的车呢? B: ___.
Use: 被, 老师, 批评, 他
Which is most formal?
Match: 杯子被我打破了
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises被 / 衣服 / 了 / 雨 / 淋湿
My water was drunk by him.
My post was deleted by the moderator.
杯子被我不小心打 ___ 了。
Match the phrases:
他也被我发现了。
我的伞 ___ 拿走了。(Someone took my umbrella, I don't know who).
Which sentence sounds like a news report?
做完 / 被 / 没有 / 作业
The cat was hit by the ball.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, only for passive voice, and usually negative events.
Just omit the agent! {手机|shǒujī}{被|bèi}{偷|tōu}{了|le}.
No, they are opposites. {把|bǎ} is active, {被|bèi} is passive.
It sounds objective and formal.
It is discouraged. Use active voice instead.
{被|bèi} is formal/negative, {让|ràng} is colloquial.
Yes, usually a particle like {了|le} or a result complement.
Yes, but it meant 'to cover'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Ser + participio
Chinese {被|bèi} is mostly for negative outcomes.
Être + participe passé
French is neutral; Chinese is often adversarial.
Werden + Partizip II
German is a standard conjugation; Chinese is a specific construction.
Rareru (受身)
Japanese uses a verb suffix; Chinese uses a preposition-like marker.
Passive verb form (e.g., fu'ila)
Morphological vs. syntactic passive.
被 (Bèi)
N/A
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
Chinese Passive Vibe: How to use '受到' (shòudào)
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The Colloquial Passive (给)
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Passive Voice with 被 (Bèi): The 'Victim' Sentence
Overview The `被` (bèi) construction is the primary grammatical structure for expressing the **passive voice** in Manda...
Chinese Passive Voice: Something was done (被)
Overview The Chinese passive voice, marked chiefly by the character `被` (bèi), is a fundamental structure for B2 learn...
The `被` (bèi) Passive: Talking About Unfortunate Events
Overview In Mandarin Chinese, the passive voice is predominantly expressed through the `被` (bèi) construction. While th...
Casual Passive with {让/叫|ràng/jiào}
Overview At the B2 level, your journey into the Chinese passive voice moves beyond the standard `被` (bèi) construction...
Formal Passives: 蒙 (méng), 遭 (zāo), and 受 (shòu)
Overview In your journey through Chinese, you have mastered the common passive with `被 (bèi)`. It is the reliable tool...
Advanced Formal Passives: 为...所 and 见
Overview At the C1 level, mastering register is as crucial as mastering grammar. While `被 (bèi)` is the all-purpose pa...
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