What is the 被 (bèi) Passive Voice?
The Chinese passive voice, most commonly formed with the character 被 (bèi), allows you to express that the subject of a sentence is the recipient or target of an action. In simple terms, it highlights what was done to someone or something, rather than what they did. It is a crucial structure for moving beyond simple subject-verb sentences and describing events with more nuance.
While the English passive voice is used in a wide variety of contexts (e.g., "The book was written," "The decision was made"), the Chinese 被 structure carries a specific connotation. It is most frequently used to describe events that are unexpected, adverse, or negative from the perspective of the subject. Because of this inherent meaning, its usage is more restricted than its English counterpart.
Tip: A quick way to identify if a sentence should use 被 is to ask: "Did something bad/unexpected happen to the subject?" If the answer is yes, 被 is likely the correct choice.
The Basic Structure of 被 Sentences
The standard structure for a 被 sentence is straightforward. Think of it as a formula:
Standard Structure
Receiver of the Action + 被 + Doer of the Action + Verb Phrase
Let's break this down with some examples.
我的杯子被弟弟打破了。
Wǒ de bēizi bèi dìdi dǎ pò le.
My cup was broken by (my) younger brother.
他的钱包被小偷偷走了。
Tā de qiánbāo bèi xiǎotōu tōu zǒu le.
His wallet was stolen by a thief.
Sometimes, the "doer" or agent of the action is unknown, obvious, or unimportant. In these cases, you can omit it entirely. The structure then becomes:
Structure with Omitted Agent
Receiver of the Action + 被 + Verb Phrase
那棵树被砍倒了。
Nà kē shù bèi kǎn dǎo le.
That tree was cut down.
Wǒ de jiànyì bèi jiēshòu le.
My suggestion was accepted. (This can be neutral or slightly surprising)
Warning: Notice that the verb in a 被 sentence is almost never used alone. It is typically followed by a complement (like 破, 走, 倒, 见) or 了 to indicate the completed result of the action. A sentence like "书被我看" is grammatically incorrect. It must be "书被我看完了" (The book was finished by me).
When to Use the Passive Voice
As mentioned, the 被 construction is not neutral. Its usage is tied to specific contexts.
- Misfortune or Negative Events: This is its most common use.
我昨天被老板批评了。
Wǒ zuótiān bèi lǎobǎn pīpíng le.
I was criticized by my boss yesterday.
- Unexpected or Unplanned Events: Even if not strictly "bad," the event is surprising.
我们被雨淋湿了。
Wǒmen bèi yǔ lín shī le.
We got soaked by the rain. (We didn't plan on it)
- Change of State: To emphasize how the receiver was affected or changed.
房间被妈妈romanization">Fángjiān bèi māma dǎsǎo de hěn gānjìng.
The room was cleaned very thoroughly by Mom. (Emphasizes the new state of the room)
Alternative Passive Markers: 叫 (jiào), 让 (ràng), and 给 (gěi)
In colloquial and northern Mandarin, 被 is often replaced by 叫, 让, or 给. However, there are important grammatical differences.
| Marker | Usage | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 被 (bèi) | Standard, formal and informal. | The agent can be omitted. |
| 叫 (jiào) | Colloquial, common in the north. | |
| 让 (ràng) | Colloquial, common in the north. | The agent must be stated. |
| 给 (gěi) | Very colloquial, adds emphasis. | Often used alongside 被 for emphasis (被...给...). The agent can be omitted. |
我的自行车叫他借走了。
Wǒ de zìxíngchē jiào tā jiè zǒu le.
My bike was borrowed by him. (Colloquial)
蛋糕让妹妹吃光了。
Dàngāo ràng mèimei chī guāng le.
ial)
电脑被弟弟给弄坏了。
Diànnǎo bèi dìdi gěi nòng huài le computer was broken by (my) younger brother. (Emphatic)
Warning: Remember that 让 and 叫 most commonly mean "to let" and "to call" respectively. Their meaning as passive markers is entirely dependent on the sentence structure. If the agent is omitted (e.g., "蛋糕让吃光了"), the sentence becomes confusing and incorrect.
How Chinese Passive Differs from English Passive
It is critical to understand that you cannot directly translate passive sentences from English to Chinese. The systems operate differently.
- Connotation: The biggest difference is meaning subject was adversely affected ("The window was broken"). Using 被 for a neutral statement can sound strange or negative.
- Frequency: The passive voice is used far less frequently in Chinese than in English. Chinese often prefers active constructions or topic-comment sentences to express what English uses the passive for.
中文很难，但是我能学会。 (Active voice is more natural than 中文能被学会)
Zhōngwén hěn nán, dànshì wǒ néng xuéhuì.
Chinese is difficult, but I can learn it.
- Verbs: Not all verbs can be used in the 被 structure. Generally, only verbs that imply a clear change of state in the object ( transitive verbs) work well. Verbs like
Practice
Convert the following active sentences into Chinese passive sentences using 被. Remember to add a complement or 了 to the verb. Assume the events are negative/unexpected.
- The cat ate the fish. (猫，鱼，吃)
- The heavy rain destroyed the flowers. (大雨，花，破坏)
- A car hit the dog. (车，狗，撞)
Bonus: Try rewriting the first sentence using 让 instead of 被.