LEARN + CHINESE / 83 of 300 HSK 3
Give or Be Acted On 被
The same event can be told from different seats in the room: who benefits, who receives something, and who has to deal with the result. 为 and 向 point to people in different roles; 把 foregrounds the affected object, while 被 brings the affected person or thing to the front. 叫 and 让 can put someone in charge of the next action.
会不会是因为昨天没写作业，被留下来了？
huì bu huì shì yīnwèi zuótiān méi xiě zuòyè， bèi liúxiàlai le？
Were you kept behind because you didn’t do your homework yesterday?
这间公司的工作日为星期一到星期五。
zhè jiān gōngsī de gōngzuòrì wéi Xīngqīyī dào Xīngqīwǔ。
This company’s working days are Monday through Friday.
我是不会向那些人借钱的。
wǒ shì bùhuì xiàng nàxiē rén jièqián de。
I will not borrow money from those people.
你下次来的时候，别忘了把它还给我。
nǐ xiàcì lái de shíhou， bié wàng le bǎ tā huán gěi wǒ。
Next time you come, don’t forget to give it back to me.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
wéi | to be; act as |
xiàng | towards; to face |
bǎ | (particle for object fronting) |
bèi | by (passive marker) |
jiào | by (passive marker) |
ràng | to let; allow; yield |
gōngzuòrì | working day |
xiàlái | to come down |
xiàcì | next time |
zuòyè | homework; task |
gōngsī | company |
xiězuò | to write; writing |
yīnwèi | because |
gōngzuò | to work; job |
shíhou | time; moment |
xīngqī | week |
zuótiān | yesterday |
liúxia | to leave behind; stay |
nàxiē | those |
gàobié | to bid farewell; say goodbye |
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