Grammar Topic
被 Constructions in Chinese Grammar
Form passive sentences with 被 and explicitly passive uses of 让 or 叫. Explore 4 high-confidence patterns with explanations and real usage.
被 Constructions Patterns
被 + (Agent) + VerbReach for 被 when you want to put the receiver of an action up front and let the doer fade — or disappear. It's Mandarin's main passive marker and shows up everywhere from news headlines ('the building was burned') to formal writing and complaint speech ('I got scolded'). The agent (who did it) goes between 被 and the verb, but you can omit it entirely when the doer is unknown, unimportant, or obvious. Modern Chinese also uses 被 freely for neutral facts, not just unfortunate events.
HSK 2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.
HSK 5-6可能会被...替代The standard way to say 'may be replaced by...' — a passive prediction. 可能 marks it as uncertain, 会 marks it as future-tense likelihood, 被 introduces the agent doing the replacing, and 替代 is the verb 'to replace.' You'll hear it constantly in 2026 news about AI, automation, and disruption. Use it whenever you want to say something could lose its place to something newer.
HSK 2被批评为...A passive frame for being labeled negatively — 'criticized as X'. The subject is the target of the criticism; 为 introduces the label being slapped on them. This is heavy news/essay language, common in coverage of public figures, regulators, and corporate behavior. It implies a sourced or quotable judgment, not a personal complaint.
HSK 5-6