Meaning
by (marker for passive-voice sentences or clauses); quilt; blanket; to cover; to wear
Chinese: 被子；也作被动句标记。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “bei” becomes a different word in each tone. 被 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 被子bèi ziblanket; quilt
- 被迫bèi pòto be compelled; to be forced
- 被动bèi dòngpassive
- 被告bèi gào(law) the defendant; the accused
- 被捕bèi bǔto be arrested; under arrest
More Words
Example Sentence
我的伞被风吹走了。Wǒ de sǎn bèi fēng chuī zǒu le.My umbrella was blown away by the wind.
我WǒI的deof伞sǎnumbrella被bèi(passive: by)风fēngwind吹chuīto blow走zǒuto walk了le(completed action)。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The clothing radical 衤 plus 皮 (sound): originally a ‘quilt, bedding’; it became the passive marker ‘by’ (被打 to be hit) and ‘to cover, suffer’.
A way to remember it
From ‘quilt’ to the passive ‘by’: 被看见 (to be seen).