The 被 (bèi) Passive in Chinese
被
The 被 sentence makes the receiver the topic and says something was done to it: receiver + 被 + doer + verb + extra. 我的手机被偷了 — my phone was stolen. In a completed event, the verb is commonly followed by 了, a result, or a directional complement. The doer can be dropped when it's unknown or obvious.
Published July 9, 2026
Reviewed July 9, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Receiver + 被 + Doer + Verb + extra
Read the structure
The 被 sentence makes the receiver the topic and says something was done to it: receiver + 被 + doer + verb + extra. 我的手机被偷了 — my phone was stolen. In a completed event, the verb is commonly followed by 了, a result, or a directional complement. The doer can be dropped when it's unknown or obvious. Keep the model Receiver + 被 + Doer + Verb + extra visible while you compare each sentence.
我的手机被偷了。
My phone was stolen.
Choose the right context
Something happened to the subject, often unwanted: 我的自行车被人偷了。 Naming who did it, right after 被: 蛋糕被弟弟吃了。 Dropping the doer when it's unknown: 窗户被打破了。
蛋糕被弟弟吃了。
The cake was eaten by my little brother.
Respect the boundary
Treating every English passive as 被 — Chinese often prefers an active sentence, especially for neutral facts。 Neutral or positive everyday facts — Chinese uses 被 far less than English; prefer active: 老师表扬了我。 Feeling or state verbs (是, 有, 喜欢) — they can't take 被。
我的手机被了小偷偷。
(My phone was stolen by a thief.)
Repair the pattern
了 placed directly after 被: 被 is followed by the doer and verb. For this completed event, 了 follows 偷, not 被: 我的手机被小偷偷了。 Receiver and doer swapped: In 被, the thing acted on comes first and the doer follows 被: receiver + 被 + doer + verb. The phone is what's stolen, so 手机 leads and 小偷 sits after 被.
我的手机被小偷偷了。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我的手机被偷了。
My phone was stolen.
我的
Receiver
This part occupies the Receiver position in the model pattern.
手机
被
This part occupies the 被 position in the model pattern.
被
Doer
This part occupies the Doer position in the model pattern.
偷了
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我的手机被偷了。
My phone was stolen.
蛋糕被弟弟吃了。
The cake was eaten by my little brother.
窗户被打破了。
The window was broken.
他被老师批评了。
He was criticized by the teacher.
那本书被借走了。
That book was borrowed (taken away).
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Something happened to the subject, often unwanted: 我的自行车被人偷了。
- Naming who did it, right after 被: 蛋糕被弟弟吃了。
- Dropping the doer when it's unknown: 窗户被打破了。
Do not use it when
- Treating every English passive as 被 — Chinese often prefers an active sentence, especially for neutral facts。
- Neutral or positive everyday facts — Chinese uses 被 far less than English; prefer active: 老师表扬了我。
- Feeling or state verbs (是, 有, 喜欢) — they can't take 被。
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我的手机被了小偷偷。
我的手机被小偷偷了。
了 placed directly after 被
被 is followed by the doer and verb. For this completed event, 了 follows 偷, not 被: 我的手机被小偷偷了。
小偷被我的手机偷了。
我的手机被小偷偷了。
Receiver and doer swapped
In 被, the thing acted on comes first and the doer follows 被: receiver + 被 + doer + verb. The phone is what's stolen, so 手机 leads and 小偷 sits after 被.
我的手机被了小偷偷。
Put the doer and verb after 被, then 了: 我的手机被小偷偷了。
小偷被我的手机偷了。
The receiver leads, the doer follows 被: 我的手机被小偷偷了。
我被喜欢中文。
Feeling verbs can't take 被; use active: 我喜欢中文。
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 被.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 被. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
The 被 (bèi) Passive Questions
When do I use the 被 sentence?
When something is done to the subject, often unwanted: 我的车被拖走了 (my car got towed). Chinese uses 被 far less than the English passive — for neutral facts an active sentence sounds more natural.
Can I leave out the doer?
Yes. If the doer is unknown or obvious, drop it: 窗户被打破了 (the window was broken). Name it after 被 only when it matters: 被弟弟打破了。
How does 被 relate to 把?
They're mirror images. 把 puts the doer first and stresses what they did (我把手机弄丢了); 被 puts the receiver first (手机被我弄丢了). Both need something after the verb.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Construction index and function chapters relevant to 被
Supports the learner-facing account of where 被 appears and what communicative job it performs.
Official sourceChinese: A Comprehensive Grammar, 2nd ed.
Yip and Rimmington · Routledge · 2016
Locator: Relevant sentence and clause chapters for 被
Cross-checks the Receiver + 被 + Doer + Verb + extra pattern, clause relationship, and limits represented by the reviewed examples.
Official sourceChinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 3 grammar inventory
Supports directory placement at HSK 3; it does not independently prove usage rules.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
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