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被捕 (bèi bǔ) — be arrested

Definition

被捕 (bèi bǔ) is a formal written phrase meaning 'be arrested,' used in news and official reports rather than everyday speech. It pairs with the passive marker 被 and typically takes the 了 particle or appears as a modifier before a noun (被捕的罪犯).

verb
be arrested

Examples

  • 被捕。
    Tā yīn wèi tōu qiè bèi bǔ le.
    He was arrested for theft.
  • 被捕。
    Zuó tiān yǒu sān míng xián yí rén bèi bǔ.
    Three suspects were arrested yesterday.
  • ，被捕。
    Jǐng fāng biǎo shì, bèi bǔ de zuì fàn yǐ jīng bèi shěn pàn.
    The police stated that the arrested criminal has already been tried.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

被bèipassive
捕bǔseize

被 shows that the action is done to someone, and 捕 gives the action of seizing, so it means to be seized.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothing
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí被bèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

被 pairs 衣 (clothing) with 皮, which gives the sound.

Open 被 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ捕bǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

捕 uses 扌 (a hand, from 手) to show catching, and 甫 for the sound.

Open 捕 →
Appears in
Crime & Police2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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