Related words 受 and 被 both mark the receiving side of an action, but 受 appears in everyday words like 受付 while 被 is reserved for formal, technical, or legal compounds like 被験者 .
Don't confuse with 非 and 被 share the reading ひ but 非 is a negation prefix meaning 'non-/un-' (非常識 ), while 被 marks the recipient of an action (被害者 ).
費 and 被 share the reading ひ but 費 means 'expense/cost' (費用 ), while 被 is a prefix marking someone who receives an action (被害者 ).
Word family· 85 damage; harm; injury
suffer damage; be hit by a disaster; fall victim
defendant; the accused
being bombed; suffering bomb damage · being subjected to an atomic bomb attack; exposure to radiation from an atomic bomb
radiation exposure; being exposed to radiation
Show 20 more Show fewer being hit by a projectile; being shot; being bombed
photographic subject
happi coat; traditional Japanese straight-sleeved coat
coating; covering · cover (mathematics)
suffering from maltreatment; being abused
eligibility for election; right to stand for election
clothing; garments; apparel
coating; film; membrane · capsule; tunic
experimental; trial; test
employee
victim; injured party; person who suffered harm
plaintiff and defendant
outer covering; protective coat; casing; jacket
perianth; floral envelope
lower government office (ritsuryō system) · retainer; servant of a higher-ranking person (medieval) · servant of an urban family · serf
coat worn over a kimono; hifu
putamen · frustule; silicified cell wall of a diatom
hair coat; pelage
putting on armor and helmet; wearing armor · gas mask · bullet-protective cover or jacket made of cupronickel
reduced
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Etymology From the kanji 被 , which carries meanings of 'cover', 'incur', or 'receive'. The prefix use is derived from its sense of 'receiving' an action, paralleling the passive voice.
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