Master the Chinese passive construction with 被, 叫, and 让 across HSK 3-5. Interactive converter, error correction, and comprehensive quizzes.
① S + 被 + Agent + V + result/complement → 杯子被弟弟摔坏了。
② S + 被 + V + result (agent omitted) → 钱包被偷了。
At HSK 3, only 被 is introduced. The agent can be omitted when unknown or unimportant.
③ S + 叫 + Agent + V + other → 我的自行车叫人骑走了。
④ S + 让 + Agent + V + other → 那本书让同学借走了。
叫 and 让 are colloquial passive markers. Both normally include a doer; context determines the speaker’s attitude.
⑤ S + 被/叫/让 + Agent + 给 + V + other → 花瓶被猫给打碎了。
⑥ S + 叫/让 + Agent + 给 + V + other → 蛋糕让孩子给吃光了。
Adding 给 before the verb adds emphasis and a colloquial tone. It reinforces the passive meaning.
被 (bèi) — Most formal. Used in both written and spoken Chinese. The agent can be omitted. Works for both positive and negative events.
叫 (jiào) — Colloquial. Often used for unwanted events, but not restricted to them. The agent is required.
让 (ràng) — Colloquial, like 叫. The agent is required. Be careful: 让 can also mean "to let/allow" (causative), so context matters.
12 high-frequency 被动句 sentences explained with full pinyin, English, structural breakdown, and the 被 vs 叫 vs 让 difference. These exact patterns appear in HSK 4 reading and listening every year.
Tā bèi piàn le.
"He got cheated." — 被 + verb + 了, the simplest HSK 3-4 passive form. Subject is the receiver of the action.
| Slot | Word | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Receiver / 受事 | 他 | The one affected by the action |
| 被 marker | 被 | Passive marker (formal/written) |
| Agent / 施事 | (omitted) | Often dropped when unknown or unimportant |
| Verb + 了 | 骗了 | The action and its completion |
Wǒ bèi lǎoshī biǎoyáng le.
"I was praised by the teacher." — 被 with explicit agent. POSITIVE outcome (a HSK 4 myth-buster — passives don't have to be negative).
Pattern: 受事 + 被 + 施事 + 动词 + 其他. Same structure: 他被公司录取了 / 这本书被我读完了 / 那个孩子被妈妈夸奖了 / 我的文章被发表了.
Qiánbāo bèi tōu le.
"The wallet got stolen." — extremely common HSK 4 listening situation (loss/theft scenario).
Same structure: 车被偷了 / 手机被抢了 / 自行车被人骑走了 / 行李被人拿错了.
Dìdi ràng māma fá le.
"Got punished by mom." — using 让 instead of 被. This is the HSK 4 NEW pattern (introduced at this level).
Tā de tuǐ jiào gǒu yǎo le.
"Got bitten by a dog." — 叫 + agent + verb + 了, often implying NEGATIVE outcomes (accident, injury).
叫 is more colloquial/spoken. Same structure: 叫雨淋湿了 / 叫风吹倒了 / 叫人撞了 / 叫小狗叫醒了.
Bēizi bèi dǎ pò le.
"The cup got broken." — 被 + verb + result complement (破/坏/掉/完). Typical HSK 4 testing point.
Same: 书被弄脏了 / 鞋被踩坏了 / 玻璃被打碎了 / 文件被删掉了.
Tā bèi jīnglǐ jiào qù le.
"He got called by the manager." — 被 + agent + verb + directional complement.
Tā bèi rén piàn le.
"He got cheated by someone." — 被人 = "by some person" (anonymous agent). Very common HSK 4 fixed expression — 人 substitutes for an unknown actor.
Tā bèi yāoqǐng dào dàxué yǎnjiǎng.
"He was invited to give a speech at the university." — 被 + verb + 到 + location for prestigious actions.
Bèi rén xiān mǎi zǒu le.
"Got bought first by someone else." — 被 + 人 (anonymous agent) + V + 走 (directional complement showing the object is now gone). Idiomatic HSK 4 pattern for "missing out".
Same pattern: 被人先抢走了 / 被人先订走了 / 被人先用了. The 走 / 完 / 掉 directional/result complement is required — bare verb (e.g., ✗ 被人先买) is incomplete.
Ràng yǔ lín shī le.
"Got soaked by the rain." — natural-event 让 passive (very common HSK 4 weather scenario).
Bèi lǎoshī pīpíng le yí dùn.
"Got scolded by the teacher (one round)." — 被 + agent + verb + 了 + measure phrase. The 顿 measure word indicates one full session.
| Marker | Register | Agent required? | Tone | Test frequency at HSK 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 被 | Formal / written / news | Optional (can drop) | Positive, neutral or negative | Highest — every test |
| 让 | Spoken / colloquial | Required (cannot drop) | Context-dependent | HSK 4 NEW — tested in listening |
| 叫 | Spoken / colloquial | Required (cannot drop) | Often unwanted, not a restriction | HSK 4 NEW — tested in listening |
📝 HSK 4 takeaway: Master 被 first (it covers 70% of HSK 4 passives). Then learn 让 / 叫 for spoken/colloquial use — the agent is mandatory. All three appear in HSK 4 listening dialogues and reading passages.
See the active sentence, then click 被, 叫, or 让 to reveal the corresponding passive form. Compare the three markers.
Is this passive sentence correct or incorrect? Judge each sentence.
弟弟打碎了杯子 → 杯子被弟弟打碎了。 弟弟 does the action; 杯子 receives it. Put the receiver before 被 and the doer after it.
杯子被打碎了。 The doer can be left out with 被. With the ordinary colloquial 叫/让 frame, include the doer: 杯子让弟弟打碎了。
妈妈让弟弟收拾杯子。 Here 妈妈 gives an instruction: 让 means “asks/tells”, not passive. Ask whether the subject receives an action or causes someone else to act.
被、叫、让的区别不能简化成“好事用被、坏事用叫”。Focus on the sentence structure and context. Try the 15 questions / 开始练习 →
Five 被字句 sentences in real HSK 4 exam contexts: lost-items dialogues, achievement descriptions, emotional reactions, schedule changes, and news reports. Each highlights when 被 / 让 / 叫 is the natural choice.
Review the full HSK 4 vocabulary (1000 words), common HSK 4 confusable word pairs (43), and sentence ordering exercises. For test-day reading, see all 9 HSK 4 strategy guides.
