被……所……
Reach for 被...所... when you want a formal, written-register passive — 'is/was [verb]ed by ...'. It's the literary upgrade of plain 被: 被 introduces the agent, 所 sits right in front of the verb to give the whole construction a measured, essay-like feel. You'll see it in news, academic writing, and reflective prose, almost never in casual speech.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 被 [AGENT] 所 [VERB]
bèi... suǒ...
How to Think About It
Plain 被 narrates an event; 被...所... frames an established state. The 所 turns the verb into something closer to a passive participle — '被推崇' tells you he got praised, '被所推崇' (better: '被...所推崇') treats 'praised' as an enduring status. Because of this stateliness, the verbs that slot in tend to be one-character abstract actions: 推崇, 吸引, 感动, 接受, 认可, 影响. A casual everyday verb in this slot sounds wrong.
Examples
他被她的勇气所感动。
Tā bèi tā de yǒngqì suǒ gǎndòng.
He was moved by her courage.
这种观点已经被大众所接受。
Zhè zhǒng guāndiǎn yǐjīng bèi dàzhòng suǒ jiēshòu.
This view has come to be accepted by the public.
年轻人很容易被网络上的信息所影响。
Niánqīngrén hěn róngyì bèi wǎngluò shàng de xìnxī suǒ yǐngxiǎng.
Young people are easily influenced by information online.
他被这部电影所深深感动。
Tā bèi zhè bù diànyǐng suǒ shēnshēn gǎndòng.
He was deeply moved by this movie.
这些古老的传统正逐渐被人们所遗忘。
Zhèxiē gǔlǎo de chuántǒng zhèng zhújiàn bèi rénmen suǒ yíwàng.
These ancient traditions are gradually being forgotten by people.
他的观点被越来越多的学者所接受。
Tā de guāndiǎn bèi yuè lái yuè duō de xuézhě suǒ jiēshòu.
His views are being accepted by more and more scholars.
这位作家被广大读者所喜爱。
Zhè wèi zuòjiā bèi guǎngdà dúzhě suǒ xǐ'ài.
This author is loved by a wide readership.
Common Mistake
Learners stick 所 in front of any verb to sound formal, including with two-syllable verbs and casual events. 被...所... pairs with single-syllable, abstract verbs in elevated writing. Using it with everyday physical actions sounds odd or pretentious.
我被他所打了。
我被他的真诚所感动。
Don't Confuse With
被 + Agent + Verb
The everyday passive. Use plain 被 for concrete events and speech. Reserve 被...所... for written, abstract, evaluative contexts.
为 ... 所 ...
Even more literary cousin: '为人所知' (be known to people). Same meaning as 被...所..., almost only found in essays and idiomatic four-character set phrases.
受 ... 影响
Specific to influence/effect verbs: '受他影响' (influenced by him). 被...所... is broader; 受 is narrower and reads slightly less heavy.
被 + Agent + Verb
The default passive — neutral register, works everywhere. Drop the 所 unless you're aiming for a formal, written tone.
为...所...
More classical/literary passive: '为他所爱' ('loved by him'). Even more formal than 被...所... — common in older essays and proverbs.
Practice
他的故事 ___ 很多读者所感动。
Show answer
被
这部电影被全世界 ___ 喜爱。
Show answer
所
Put in order: [被 / 大家 / 她 / 所 / 认可 / 的努力]
Show answer
她的努力被大家所认可。
Translate to Chinese: 'This idea has long been accepted by society.'
Show answer
这种想法早就被社会所接受。
Write one formal sentence about an idea, work, or person being widely recognized, using 被...所....
Show answer
Example answer: 他的研究已经被国际学界所认可。 (His research has been recognized by the international academic community.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 3 Fluentide episodes:
努力、牺牲和梦想，依然是被这个社会所推崇的普世价值。
他们被中国医疗体系的高效率、相对低廉的成本以及日益精进的专科技术所吸引
被美化了的袖珍计算器
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 被……所…… in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.