为…所…
to be V-ed by …: the formal passive
Structure
主语 为 施事者 所 动词
What it means
To be V-ed by …: a classical passive that survives in formal writing. The subject receives the action of the doer.
How it is built
Subject + 为 (wéi) + doer + 所 + verb: 他的故事为人们所熟知 (His story is well known to people). Set forms: 为…所迫 (forced by), 为…所动 (moved by), 不为所动 (unmoved).
When to use it
Formal and literary. The everyday passive is 被: 他的故事被很多人知道. Use 为…所 in essays, history and news, not in chat.
Watch out
为 is read wéi here, not wèi. Keep the doer between 为 and 所: ✗ 他的故事为所熟知 ✓ 他的故事为人们所熟知. 不为所动 is a fixed exception.
Examples
秦朝仅仅过了十五年就为起义军所灭。
After a mere fifteen years the Qin was destroyed by rebel armies.
他的故事为人们所熟知。
His story is well known to people.
Learn this in Lesson 76 · HSK 6–7: 秦始皇与大一统 (The First Emperor)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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