被 vs 把
Learn when to use 被 and 把 with clear examples and a cloze drill.
被 pushes the receiver of an action to the front and shows what happened to it. 把 drags the object forward so you can show how you handled it. Nail these two frames and you will stop guessing which one to use.
被 — foreground the affected thing
Use 被 when the focus is on what happened to the subject. Structure: subject + 被 (+ doer) + verb + result/complement. The doer can drop when it is obvious or unimportant.
Example: 礼物被她打开了。 — “The gift was opened by her.”
Example: 门被风吹开了。 — “The door was blown open by the wind.”
把 — show how you handle the object
Use 把 to pull the object in front of the verb and spotlight what you did to it. Structure: subject + 把 + object + verb + result/complement.
Example: 请把门关上。 — “Please close the door.”
Example: 他把钥匙放在桌子上了。 — “He put the keys on the table.”
Quick decision guide
Reach for 被 when you need a passive feel or want to highlight an affected subject. Use 把 when you want to stress the result or placement of the object. Both pair naturally with a clear result (了, 好, 完) or a location phrase.
Try the 被 / 把 drill
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