把-Sentence 4: Causative Use
"把"字句4：表致使
Use 把-sentences to express causative meaning — where the subject (or an inanimate force) causes something to happen to the object
In the causative 把-sentence, the subject causes an effect on the object. Pattern 1 features an inanimate subject (shoes, noise, weather) causing a physical effect. Pattern 2 features a person whose actions cause an emotional or physical reaction in the object — the object is actually the one experiencing the emotion. The result is often expressed with 得 + a vivid description.
In pattern 2, note that the 把-object is actually the person who experiences the emotion (the "feeler"), while the grammatical subject is the cause. This is the reverse of what learners might expect: 他把大伙儿笑得肚子疼 means "he made everyone laugh until their stomachs hurt" — 他 is the cause, 大伙儿 is the experiencer.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: 把-Sentence 4: Causative Use ("把"字句4：表致使)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the "把"字句4：表致使 pattern
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Understanding "把"字句4：表致使
The causative 把-sentence represents an advanced use of the 把 construction that goes beyond simple disposal or manipulation of objects. In this pattern, the subject is the cause of an effect on the 把-object. There are two main subtypes. In the first, an inanimate subject causes a physical result: 这双鞋把脚磨破了 (these shoes rubbed the feet raw) — the shoes are the cause, and the feet suffer the result. In the second, a person's behavior or actions cause an emotional reaction: 他把爸爸气得一夜没睡 (he made his father so angry that he couldn't sleep all night) — the son is the cause, the father is the one affected. This causative use is extremely common in spoken Chinese and adds vividness to descriptions of cause-and-effect relationships. The result complement after the verb is essential — it describes the specific outcome of the causation.
Key Points
- Pattern 1: Inanimate subject + 把 + object + V + result complement — the subject is a thing or force causing a physical effect.
- Pattern 2: Person/thing + 把 + experiencer + V + 得 + vivid result — the subject causes an emotional/physical reaction.
- The 把-object in pattern 2 is the person who feels the emotion, not the person who causes it.
- A result complement (结果补语 or 得-complement) is required — it describes what happens due to the causation.
- Common verbs: 磨 (rub), 吵 (disturb), 气 (anger), 笑 (laugh), 感动 (move/touch), 急 (worry).
- This pattern is highly colloquial and vivid — perfect for storytelling and emotional expression.
Chinese tends to express cause-and-effect relationships through concrete, vivid descriptions rather than abstract statements. Rather than saying "the noise disturbed me" abstractly, Chinese prefers the vivid 外面的声音把我吵醒了 (the outside noise woke me up with its disturbance). This preference for concrete, result-oriented expression reflects the Chinese linguistic habit of anchoring abstract concepts in tangible outcomes.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
这双鞋把脚磨破了。
These shoes rubbed my feet raw.
Inanimate subject (shoes) causes physical damage
外面的声音把我吵醒了。
The noise outside woke me up.
Inanimate subject (noise) causes a result
他把大伙儿笑得肚子疼。
He made everyone laugh until their stomachs hurt.
Person causes emotional reaction in others
他把爸爸气得一夜没睡。
He made his father so angry that he couldn't sleep all night.
Person causes emotional state in another
孩子把妈妈感动得流下了眼泪。
The child moved his mother to tears.
Person causes emotional reaction
大风把树刮倒了。
The strong wind blew the tree down.
Inanimate force (wind) causes physical result
这个消息把她急得团团转。
This news made her so anxious she was pacing in circles.
News (cause) creates anxiety (result) in a person
这道题把学生难得一头雾水。
This problem left the students completely confused.
Inanimate subject (problem) causes confusion
Common Mistakes
In a 把-sentence, 把 + object must come before the verb. The order is: Subject + 把 + object + V + complement.
Causative 把-sentences require a result complement describing the outcome. Just 把爸爸气了 is incomplete — you need to describe what happened as a result of the anger.
The verb in a causative 把-sentence cannot stand alone — it must be followed by a result complement (破了, 醒了, etc.) to indicate the outcome.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Always include a result complement — causative 把-sentences without results sound incomplete and ungrammatical.
For pattern 2 (emotional causation), think: "Who/what caused it?" = subject. "Who felt it?" = 把-object. "What happened?" = 得-result.
Common vivid results to practice: 得哭了, 得一夜没睡, 得肚子疼, 得团团转, 得说不出话来.
This pattern is perfect for dramatic storytelling — use it to describe how events or people affected others.
Homework
Write six causative 把-sentences: three with inanimate subjects (weather, noise, shoes, etc.) causing physical effects, and three with people causing emotional reactions in others. Each sentence must include a vivid result complement.