被控

Be Charged with

Level 6Sounds Like bei6 hung3

被控 (bei6 hung3) is a specialized passive structure used exclusively in formal news reporting and legal proceedings to indicate that someone has been formally charged with a specific offense.

How It Works

In Cantonese, while everyday passive actions use 畀 (bei2), formal and legal contexts use 被 (bei6). The specific term 被控 (bei6 hung3) is the standard way to say 'is charged with' in Hong Kong media and courts.

Key Usage Rules:

  • Register: It is strictly formal. You will see it in headlines and hear it in news broadcasts, but you would never use it to 'charge' a friend with a social mistake.
  • Structure: [Subject] + 被控 + [Count/Crime].
  • Common Suffix: The crime name often ends with 罪 (zeoi6, 'crime/offense'), such as 謀殺罪 (mau4 saat3 zeoi6, 'murder').
  • Classifiers: When referring to the number of charges, the formal classifier 項 (hong6, 'item/count') is used instead of the general 個 (go3).

Examples (4)

  1. 被告人被控一項謀殺罪。

    The defendant is charged with one count of murder.

    Word by Word: Defendant [passive marker] charged one [item] murder crime.

    This is a standard legal sentence. Note the use of 項 (hong6) as the classifier for the charge.

  2. 佢因為涉嫌收受利益而被控貪污。

    He was charged with corruption for allegedly accepting advantages.

    Word by Word: He because suspect accept advantages and [passive marker] charged corruption.

    涉嫌 (sip3 jim4) means 'suspected of' or 'allegedly', which often appears alongside 被控 in news reports.

  3. 該名司機被控不小心駕駛。

    The driver was charged with careless driving.

    Word by Word: That [name] driver [passive marker] charged not careful driving.

    該名 (goi1 ming4) is a formal way to say 'that' (person) in journalistic Cantonese.

  4. 佢哋被控非法集結。

    They were charged with unlawful assembly.

    Word by Word: They [passive marker] charged illegal assembly.

    The crime name 'unlawful assembly' (非法集結) follows the pattern directly.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'bei6 hung3' in casual conversation.

    我被控食咗佢個蛋糕。
    佢話我食咗佢個蛋糕。

    被控 is too formal for social accusations. Use 話 (waa2, 'to say/scold') or 投訴 (tau4 sou3, 'to complain') for everyday situations.

  • Using 'hung3' as an active verb alone.

    差人控佢偷嘢。
    差人控告佢偷嘢。

    In the active voice ('The police charged him'), you must use the full disyllabic verb 控告 (hung3 gou3). 控 (hung3) is a bound morpheme and cannot stand alone as a verb in this way.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

被控Level 6Be Charged with

Learn This First

The pattern '被控' (bei6 hung3) is a formal passive construction used in legal and news contexts to mean 'be charged with'. It requires an understanding of how passive voice works in Cantonese and familiarity with the formal/written register used in media.

Words in This Pattern

被控控