Passive Constructions: 被, 叫, 让
The 被 sentence is the Chinese passive, where the thing affected comes first and the doer follows 被, as in 杯子被打破了. In speech 叫 and 让 do the same job, but they must name the doer, and the verb needs a complement.
叫/让 (jiào/ràng) — colloquial passives with the same meaning as 被, but the AGENT must be stated — it cannot be dropped. ✅ 杯子叫弟弟打破了。❌ 杯子叫打破了 (agent missing — wrong).
Shared rule: like 把, the verb after 被/叫/让 needs a complement — a bare verb alone is not enough. ❌ 衣服被弄脏。→ ✅ 衣服被弄脏了。
Adverbs like 已经/终于 go BEFORE 被/叫/让, not after.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我的手机被偷了。 | Wǒ de shǒujī bèi tōu le. | My phone got stolen. | 被 with the agent omitted (thief unknown) — the simplest passive frame. |
| 那本书叫他借走了。 | Nà běn shū jiào tā jiè zǒu le. | That book was borrowed (and taken) by him. | 叫 requires the agent (他) to be stated explicitly. |
| 他的钱包让小偷偷走了，还好证件都在。 | Tā de qiánbāo ràng xiǎotōu tōu zǒu le, hái hǎo zhèngjiàn dōu zài. | His wallet was stolen by a thief, luckily his ID was still there. | 让 + agent (小偷) + verb + result complement (走), extended with a following clause. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
被 (bèi)
Marks the passive: the thing affected comes first and the doer follows 被.
Structure: Receiver + 被 + (doer) + verb + complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我的自行车被朋友骑走了。 | Wǒ de zì xíng chē bèi péng yǒu qí zǒu le. | My bicycle was ridden away by a friend. |
| 窗户被风吹开了。 | Chuāng hù bèi fēng chuī kāi le. | The window was blown open by the wind. |
| 他被老师批评了一顿。 | Tā bèi lǎo shī pī píng le yí dùn. | He was told off by the teacher. |
Not: 被小偷我的钱包偷走了。 The receiver comes first: 我的钱包被小偷偷走了.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, prepositions (引出施事、受事).
被 is also explained in: 被-construction (passive) (HSK 4) · 把-Sentences & Notional Passive (HSK 5).
叫 (jiào)
Marks the passive in speech and always needs the doer named.
Structure: Receiver + 叫 + doer + verb + complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我的雨伞叫弟弟弄坏了。 | Wǒ de yǔ sǎn jiào dì dì nòng huài le. | My umbrella was broken by my younger brother. |
| 点心叫孩子们吃光了。 | Diǎn xīn jiào hái zi men chī guāng le. | The snacks were all eaten by the children. |
| 衣服叫雨淋湿了。 | Yī fú jiào yǔ lín shī le. | The clothes got soaked by the rain. |
Not: 杯子叫弟弟被打破了。 Use only one of 叫 and 被: 杯子叫弟弟打破了.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, special sentence patterns (兼语句); level 4, prepositions (引出施事、受事); level 5, special sentence patterns (被动句).
叫 is also explained in: Pivot Sentences: 叫/让/请+someone+V (HSK 3) · 使/让/叫 pivot-causative sentences (HSK 4).
让 (ràng)
Marks the passive in speech and always needs the doer named.
Structure: Receiver + 让 + doer + verb + complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我的蛋糕让弟弟吃了一半。 | Wǒ de dàn gāo ràng dì dì chī le yí bàn. | Half of my cake was eaten by my brother. |
| 电脑让他弄坏了。 | Diàn nǎo ràng tā nòng huài le. | The computer was broken by him. |
| 我的词典让同学借走了。 | Wǒ de cí diǎn ràng tóng xué jiè zǒu le. | My dictionary was borrowed by a classmate. |
Not: 我的词典让借走了。 让 must be followed by the doer; without a doer use 被.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, fixed patterns; level 4, prepositions (引出施事、受事).
让 is also explained in: Pivot Sentences: 叫/让/请+someone+V (HSK 3) · 被-construction (passive) (HSK 4) · 使/让/叫 pivot-causative sentences (HSK 4) · Serial Verb & Pivotal Constructions (HSK 5).
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
The same pattern at other levels
- 被-construction (passive) — HSK 4
Questions about Passive Constructions
What does 被动句 (Passive Constructions) mean in Chinese?
The 被 sentence is the Chinese passive, where the thing affected comes first and the doer follows 被, as in 杯子被打破了. In speech 叫 and 让 do the same job, but they must name the doer, and the verb needs a complement. It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 被动句 (Passive Constructions) in a sentence?
我的手机被偷了。 — Wǒ de shǒujī bèi tōu le. — My phone got stolen. 被 with the agent omitted (thief unknown) — the simplest passive frame.
What do you need to know before 被动句 (Passive Constructions)?
The 把 Construction (HSK 3), Double Object Sentences (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Where does the negative word go in a 被 sentence?
Before 被. 我的钱包没被偷 means my wallet was not stolen. Putting 没 after 被 is wrong.
Do I have to say who did it?
With 被 you may leave out the doer, as in 手机被偷了. With 叫 and 让 you must name the doer: 手机让小偷偷了.
Passive Constructions is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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