把 vs 被 (bǎ vs bèi): disposal marker vs passive marker
把 and 被 both put a noun phrase before the verb, but they have opposite functions: 把 marks the object that is disposed of by the action (active voice), while 被 marks the subject that receives the action (passive voice). Choosing the right marker depends on whether the speaker wants to emphasize the agent's disposal of an object (把) or the patient's undergoing of the action (被).
把 and 被 are both prepositions that introduce a noun phrase immediately before the main verb, but they serve opposite grammatical voices. 把 marks the object that is directly affected or 'disposed of' by the subject’s action, creating an active disposal construction (e.g., 我把书看完了 'I finished reading the book'). 被 marks the subject as the patient of the action and optionally introduces the agent (e.g., 书被我看完了 'The book was finished reading by me'). The core mental model: use 把 when you want to highlight what the agent does to a specific object; use 被 when you want to highlight what happens to the patient, often when the agent is unknown or less important.
When to use each
Use 把 to emphasize that an agent disposes of or handles a definite object, especially when the verb is followed by a complement, result, or location. The object after 把 must be specific or known to the listener. Typical patterns are: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Complement (e.g., 他把杯子打碎了 'He broke the cup'). It is also required in certain causative or disposal contexts where the object is fully affected.
把-sentences are pragmatically vivid and often imply a sense of control or intention by the subject. Not every transitive verb can be used with 把; only verbs that result in a clear change of state or location of the object are compatible.
Use 被 to form a passive sentence, where the subject is the patient of the action. The agent can be explicitly mentioned after 被 (e.g., 杯子被他打碎了 'The cup was broken by him') or omitted if unknown (e.g., 杯子被打碎了 'The cup was broken'). 被 is used when the focus is on the affected patient rather than the agent, and the action is usually adverse or unexpected, though it can be neutral in modern Chinese.
被 can also appear in a combined '被...把...' structure, where the subject is the possessor of the 把-object, e.g., 我的手机被他把屏幕摔碎了 'My phone's screen was smashed by him'. In informal or regional speech, 叫, 让, or 给 are used as alternatives to 被.
At a glance
| 把 | 被 | |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | Active (agent does action to object) | Passive (patient receives action) |
| Role of noun after marker | Object (the thing affected) | Agent (the doer of the action, optional) |
| Subject role | Agent (subject does the action) | Patient (subject receives the action) |
| Necessity of agent | Agent always stated (the subject) | Agent optional (often omitted) |
| Verb type | Requires resultative complement or change-of-state verb | Any transitive verb with affected patient |
| Pragmatic nuance | Emphasizes disposal or handling | Emphasizes suffering or occurrence |
Examples
- 把他把杯子打碎了。Tā bǎ bēizi dǎ suì le.He broke the cup.Active disposal: subject 'he' performs the action on the cup.
- 被杯子被他打碎了。Bēizi bèi tā dǎ suì le.The cup was broken by him.Passive: the cup is the patient; agent 'him' is introduced by 被.
- 把我把作业写完了。Wǒ bǎ zuòyè xiě wán le.I finished writing the homework.把 highlights that the homework is completely affected by the action.
- 被作业被写完了。Zuòyè bèi xiě wán le.The homework was finished (being written).Passive with no agent, focusing on the homework's state.
- 被我的钱包被他把里面的钱拿走了。Wǒ de qiánbāo bèi tā bǎ lǐmiàn de qián ná zǒu le.My wallet had the money inside taken away by him.Combined 被…把 structure: 'my wallet' is the patient (possessor), and 'the money' is the 把-object that is affected.
- 被那棵树被风把叶子吹光了。Nà kē shù bèi fēng bǎ yèzi chuī guāng le.That tree had all its leaves blown off by the wind.Another natural 被…把 example: the tree (patient) loses its leaves (把-object) due to wind (agent).
Common mistakes
- Using 被 instead of 把 in active sentences: e.g., '他被打了杯子' to mean 'He broke the cup'. Correct: '他把杯子打碎了'.
- Using 把 in passive sentences: e.g., '杯子把我打了' to mean 'The cup was broken by me'. This is backwards — the cup cannot be the actor. Correct: '杯子被我打碎了'.
- Forgetting the complement or result after the verb in a 把-sentence: e.g., '我把饭吃' (incomplete) should be '我把饭吃完了'.
- Omitting 被 when using 给 as passive marker in formal writing: but 给 is also a colloquial substitute for 把. Learners must distinguish when 给 replaces 被 vs 把.
FAQ
- When do I use 把 vs 被 in a sentence?
- Use 把 when you want to emphasize that the subject actively does something to a specific object, especially when the verb has a result. Use 被 when you want to emphasize that the subject (patient) is affected by the action, and the agent may be mentioned or not.
- Can I use both 把 and 被 in the same sentence?
- Yes, but only in the pattern 'Subject + 被 + Agent + 把 + Object + Verb'. This structure is used when the subject is a possessor of the 把-object, e.g., '我的手机被他把屏幕摔碎了' (My phone's screen was smashed by him). It is not possible to reverse the order.
- Is 被 always negative or bad?
- Historically, 被 put a negative connotation (adversity), but in modern Chinese, especially in written or formal contexts, 被 can be neutral. For example, '他被选为班长' (He was elected class monitor) is common and not negative.
- Why can't I say '我把饭被吃'?
- Because 把 and 被 are two different voices and cannot be combined haphazardly. '我把饭被吃' mixes active and passive markers without clear logic. If you mean 'the rice was eaten' say '饭被吃了'. If you mean 'I ate the rice' say '我把饭吃了'.