被迫

• Pinyin: bèi pò
• Hanzi breakdown: 被 = 衤(clothing) + 皮 (skin, phonetic), here used as passive marker; 迫 = 辶 (walk) + 白 (white, phonetic), meaning force/press

Meaning

To be forced; to be compelled. Indicates that someone does something against their will.

Combines the passive marker 被 with 迫 (force, press). Used when external pressure or circumstances leave someone with no choice. Common in news, history, and personal narratives. Implies unwillingness and a sense of having no alternative.

Examples

1. 因为公司倒闭，他被迫离开了工作了十年的岗位。 Because the company went bankrupt, he was forced to leave the position he had held for ten years.
2. 战争期间，很多家庭被迫离开了自己的家乡。 During the war, many families were forced to leave their hometowns.
3. 她被迫接受了这个不公平的条件。 She was forced to accept these unfair conditions.

Usage Guide

Context: news, history, personal narrative

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 他被迫放弃了自己的梦想。(He was forced to give up his dream.)
• 我们不应该被迫做不愿意做的事。(We shouldn't be forced to do things we don't want to do.)

Don't Say

• 说'我被迫吃了蛋糕' (Don't use 被迫 for trivial situations like being offered cake — it's for genuinely coercive situations; use 只好 for mild reluctance)

Origin & History

A combination of 被 (passive marker, 'by') and 迫 (force, press). Together they form a passive construction meaning 'to be forced to.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal