被捕

• Pinyin: bèi bǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 被 = 衤 (clothing) + 皮 (skin/phonetic); 捕 = 扌 (hand) + 甫 (phonetic)

Meaning

To be arrested; to be apprehended. To be taken into custody by authorities.

The passive form of arrest, used when the subject is the person being detained. More formal than 被抓 and commonly used in news reports and official statements.

Examples

1. 涉嫌贪污的官员昨天被捕了。 The official suspected of corruption was arrested yesterday.
2. 嫌疑人在逃亡三个月后终于被捕归案。 The suspect was finally apprehended after three months on the run.
3. 他因为参与抗议活动而被捕，在拘留所待了一个星期。 He was arrested for participating in protests and spent a week in detention.

Usage Guide

Context: news, legal, crime

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 他因为诈骗被捕了。(He was arrested for fraud.)
• 被捕后他拒绝认罪。(After being arrested, he refused to confess.)

Don't Say

• 把暂时拘留说成'被捕' (Don't use 被捕 for brief detention — it implies formal arrest)

Origin & History

被 (passive marker) + 捕 (to catch/arrest). To be caught/arrested.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal