被 bèi by
by; passive marker
How to remember 被: 衤 clothes + 皮 skin = by. On her way home the cyclist gets her clothes soaked to the skin, caught out by a sudden summer storm.
Component breakdown
被 = 衤 clothes + 皮 skin
- 衤 clothes
- 皮 skin
On her way home the cyclist gets her clothes soaked to the skin, caught out by a sudden summer storm.
How it is used
- The passive marker: A 被 B + verb = "A gets verb-ed by B" - 杯子被打破了 (bēizi bèi dǎpò le) the cup got broken, 我被雨淋了 (wǒ bèi yǔ lín le) I got caught in the rain. The doer B can be dropped.
- Often carries an adversative flavor - something unwanted or beyond one's control happened; less used for neutral/happy events than English passive.
- Also the plain noun 被子 (bèizi) a quilt/duvet - 盖被子 (gài bèizi) pull up the covers.
- Formal derivatives: 被动 (bèidòng) passive, 被迫 (bèipò) be forced to, 被告 (bèigào) the defendant.
Words with 被
Example sentences
- 他被打伤了。 Tā bèi dǎshāng le.He was hit and injured.
- 她被邀请参加派对。 Tā bèi yāoqǐng cānjiā pàiduì.She was invited to a party.
- 棉被很暖和。 Miánbèi hěn nuǎnhuo.Comforters are very warm.