What is AはBにCに?

Question

I've seen this construction a few times but couldn't find it in my textbooks, so I'd like to know how it's called and, if possible, how it works.

Since it was pretty much unclear, here I add some clarifications on what I'd like to know.

Here's an example:

AはBにCに電話された。

How does it work and what's the function of the 2nd に particle? I was told that it works the same way as AはBにVpass as in 私は子供に泣かれた。 This one is understandable. I see the person who got an action done to, I see the doer and I see the action itself. But what about that construction the I mentioned before?

Here's an explanation I got from a guy on the internet:

• The 1st に represents relations between В and А

Who made A upset? (Who did a negative action towards A?) Вに

• The 2nd に represents an action made by B towards C

To whom B called? Cに

I don't seem to get how those 2 に interact with each other in such a way that makes them have 2 different meanings while being a one part of a simple sentence. Also, I don't understand how to use this construction and what's more how to translate it when a different verb occurs.

I hope I made some clarifications and did not confuse you even more. Looking forward to see some explanations and maybe a couple of examples. Thank you.

Answer 1

This isn't really a separate construction, but the standard passive construction where the verb requires a noun+に.

Consider the following two 間接受動/{被害,迷惑}の受け身 sentences. (I am using unnatural translations (hopefully) for clarity.)

• 私は財布を盗まれた : I had someone having stolen my purse.
• 私は親に電話された : I had someone having called my parents.

(The speaker of the second sentence is a kid who got caught lifting something in a convenience store, for example.)

Both express that the speaker did not like something someone did (stealing a purse, calling the parents).

Now someone can be revealed by putting Noun+に, just as in usual passive. E.g., 私は殴られた/私は彼に殴られた : I was hit / I was hit by him.

• 私は彼に財布を盗まれた : I had him having stolen my purse. = I had my purse stolen by him.
• 私は彼に親に電話された : I had him having called my parents. = He called my parents, which I hated.

Thus the consecutive に phrases are not really interacting. The first に is the standard に in passive for indicating who did the action, while the second に complements the verb. In the particular example of the question, the second に is required by the verb 電話する.

===

Another example:

• 私は彼に先に行かれた : (E.g., in a race) He went ahead, which made me uncomfortable.