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.
Structure
[A] 可能会被 [B] 替代
kěnéng huì bèi... tìdài
How to Think About It
Stack the modal verbs like Legos: 可能 (maybe) + 会 (will) = 'might.' Then 被 flips the sentence into passive voice, putting the loser first and the winner after 被. The thing in danger is the subject; the threat is the agent. Drop 可能 and it becomes a confident prediction; drop 会 and the future tense weakens; drop 被 and you've broken the passive voice.
Examples
司机这个工作可能会被机器人替代。
Sījī zhège gōngzuò kěnéng huì bèi jīqìrén tìdài.
The job of driver may be replaced by robots.
纸质书可能会被电子书替代。
Zhǐzhì shū kěnéng huì bèi diànzǐ shū tìdài.
Paper books may be replaced by e-books.
旧手机可能会被新型号替代。
Jiù shǒujī kěnéng huì bèi xīn xínghào tìdài.
Old phones may be replaced by new models.
Common Mistake
Learners often put the agent in the subject slot and say something like 'AI 会替代他们的工作.' That's grammatical but ACTIVE voice. When you want to highlight the thing being replaced — the focus of the discussion — flip to 被. Forgetting 被 changes who the sentence is 'about.'
他们的工作可能会AI替代。
他们的工作可能会被AI替代。
Don't Confuse With
可能会被...淘汰
淘汰 means 'eliminated / phased out,' not replaced by a specific successor. Use 替代 when there's a clear replacement; 淘汰 when the thing just disappears.
...取代...
取代 is the active form ('A takes B's place'). Use it when the AGENT is your topic. 被...替代 keeps focus on the victim.
可能会变成...
Means 'may turn into.' Describes transformation of the same thing, not replacement by something else.
Practice
他的工作可能会 ____ AI 替代。
Show answer
被
现金可能会被手机支付 ____ 。
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替代
Arrange: 被 / 可能 / 会 / 老办法 / 新办法 / 替代
Show answer
老办法可能会被新办法替代。
Translate: Translators may be replaced by AI.
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翻译可能会被AI替代。
Predict one job or product that may be replaced using 可能会被...替代.
Show answer
传统的银行可能会被网上银行替代。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 可能会被...替代 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.