被 sentences (the passive)
IntroducedA passive names the affected item
- Someone took the book away, and you describe what happened to the book.
- book书by被him他take away拿走(completed / change)了。 — The book receives the action, while him他 names the doer.
Someone took the book away, and you describe what happened to the book. What does 书被他拿走了。 communicate?
The book receives the action, while 他 names the doer. 书被拿走了 omits the doer when unnecessary or unknown. 被 is not limited to bad outcomes: 他被选为队长 is a positive example. Use a complete verb phrase for the intended event.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is by被 sentences (the passive). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
book书by被him他take away拿走了。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: The book was taken by him: 书 ____ 他拿走了。
被 + (Doer) + Verb Phrase = passive: 书被他拿走了.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, book书by被him他take away拿走(completed / change)了。: The book receives the action, while him他 names the doer.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
In a 被 sentence, the subject is…
被 marks the subject as the receiver: 书被他拿走了 (the book was taken).
Build: “The book was taken by him.”
Subj + 被 + Doer + VP: 书 + 被他 + 拿走了.
Know the boundary
- book书by被take away拿走(completed / change)了 omits the doer when unnecessary or unknown.
- by被 is not limited to bad outcomes: him他by被to choose选for为captain队长 is a positive example. Use a complete verb phrase for the intended event.
The doer after 被 is required and can never be left out.
The doer is optional: 书被拿走了 (the book was taken).
Every 被 sentence must describe an unfortunate event.
书被拿走了 omits the doer when unnecessary or unknown. 被 is not limited to bad outcomes: 他被选为队长 is a positive example. Use a complete verb phrase for the intended event. The book receives the action, while 他 names the doer.
Use the distinction
- The book receives the action, while him他 names the doer.
- book书by被take away拿走(completed / change)了 omits the doer when unnecessary or unknown. by被 is not limited to bad outcomes: him他by被to choose选for为captain队长 is a positive example. Use a complete verb phrase for the intended event.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Sentence patterns.
Someone took the book away, and you describe what happened to the book. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.