被
quilt; cover; suffer; passive marker
Meanings
6 senses · 30 examplesnoun
quilt; bed cover
Can be modified by adjectives to specify material or style, e.g. cotton quilt, thin quilt.
You need to cover yourself with a thick quilt when sleeping in winter.
Mom made me a pure cotton quilt.
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This thin padded quilt is perfect for spring and autumn.
Please fold the quilt neatly and put it at the head of the bed.
I accidentally kicked the quilt onto the floor.
verb
to cover; to shroud
formalFormal literary usage, often used in written contexts or formal descriptions.
Heavy snow covered the entire village.
Vegetation covers most of the hillside.
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Dark clouds covered the sky, it looks like it's going to rain soon.
This wetland is covered with thick moss.
Night fell over the land, and the city turned on its lights.
verb
to suffer; to encounter (disaster)
neutralOften paired with disaster, trouble, or hardship-related nouns.
This area suffered a severe drought last year.
He perished in the earthquake.
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This village suffered a disaster and needs external aid.
He had an accident at work and is still in the hospital for treatment.
This factory suffered a big fire and suffered heavy losses.
preposition
passive preposition (introduce agent)
Used to form passive voice sentences, the subject is the recipient of the action, and the agent can be explicitly stated or omitted.
That old tree was blown down by the strong wind.
My cellphone was stolen by a thief.
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This report was reviewed and approved by the higher authorities.
He was selected as the host of this sports meeting's opening ceremony.
The new books in the library were borrowed by readers right away.
auxiliary verb
passive auxiliary (before verb)
Often used to describe collective or institutional passive actions, without explicitly stating the agent.
The oppressed nations finally stood up.
Workers in the old society were severely exploited.
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The people of this country were enslaved for a long time.
Vulnerable groups are often overlooked.
These precious cultural relics were destroyed, which is very heartbreaking.
verb
ironic/teasing passive marker
informalUsed in internet slang and casual speech to mock forced or fake situations, carries sarcastic or playful tone.
I 'got employed' right after graduation, but I actually didn't find a formal job at all.
I 'reached a well-off standard' this month, I can't believe it myself.
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Many young people are 'forced to get married' when they just want to focus on their careers first.
Some platforms let users be 'represented' without asking everyone's opinions at all.
He clearly didn't do this thing, but he was 'forced to donate'.