被…所…: Formal Passive in Chinese
被……所……
被…所… is a formal passive pattern in which 被 introduces the agent and 所 stands immediately before the transitive verb affecting the patient. Both agent and verb must be complete, and 所 cannot take aspect marking or follow the verb. The pattern is common in formal evaluation and written description.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Patient + 被 + Agent + 所 + Transitive verb
Read the structure
被…所… is a formal passive pattern in which 被 introduces the agent and 所 stands immediately before the transitive verb affecting the patient. Both agent and verb must be complete, and 所 cannot take aspect marking or follow the verb. The pattern is common in formal evaluation and written description. Keep the model Patient + 被 + Agent + 所 + Transitive verb visible while you compare each sentence.
他的建议被委员会所采纳。
His proposal was adopted by the committee.
Choose the right context
Present a patient affected by an explicit agent in formal prose. Place 所 before the transitive passive verb. Use in evaluative or institutional written descriptions.
这种行为不被社会所接受。
This behavior is not accepted by society.
Respect the boundary
Do not put 所 after the verb. Do not attach 了 to 所. Do not omit the passive verb after 所.
建议被委员会采纳所。
(The proposal was by the committee adopted suo.)
Repair the pattern
所 follows the passive verb: In this formal passive, 所 must immediately precede the transitive verb 采纳. The passive verb after 所 is missing: 所 requires a following transitive verb describing the effect on the patient.
建议被委员会所采纳。
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.
他的建议被委员会所采纳。
His proposal was adopted by the committee.
他的
Patient
This part occupies the Patient position in the model pattern.
建议
被
This part occupies the 被 position in the model pattern.
被
Agent
This part occupies the Agent position in the model pattern.
委员
所
This part occupies the 所 position in the model pattern.
会所
Transitive verb
This part occupies the Transitive verb position in the model pattern.
采纳
Patient
This part occupies the Patient 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.
他的建议被委员会所采纳。
His proposal was adopted by the committee.
这种行为不被社会所接受。
This behavior is not accepted by society.
她深深地被故事所感动。
She was deeply moved by the story.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Present a patient affected by an explicit agent in formal prose.
- Place 所 before the transitive passive verb.
- Use in evaluative or institutional written descriptions.
Do not use it when
- Do not put 所 after the verb.
- Do not attach 了 to 所.
- Do not omit the passive verb after 所.
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.
建议被委员会采纳所。
建议被委员会所采纳。
所 follows the passive verb
In this formal passive, 所 must immediately precede the transitive verb 采纳.
这种行为不被社会所。
这种行为不被社会所接受。
The passive verb after 所 is missing
所 requires a following transitive verb describing the effect on the patient.
建议被委员会采纳所。
In this formal passive, 所 must immediately precede the transitive verb 采纳.
这种行为不被社会所。
所 requires a following transitive verb describing the effect on the patient.
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……所…….
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 被……所……. 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
被…所…: Formal Passive Questions
Is 所 required in every 被 sentence?
No. 被…所… is a formal option; ordinary 被 passives usually omit 所.
Can the agent be omitted?
Other passive structures can omit it, but this card teaches the explicit 被 + agent + 所 + verb pattern.
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.
Chinese 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: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, combined Levels 7–9 item 【七—九089】, 被动句5：（1）被……所…… (printed p. 246)
Supports placement in the official combined Levels 7-9 band; the exact site level remains an internal difficulty label; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 21, §§21.1–21.6, Mandarin passive structure and affected-object patterns
Establishes the patient-first passive and the agent position after 被; GF supplies the additional 所 slot before the verb.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
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