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**MORE INFO**  
In an effort to make my question as short as possible, I abbreviated too much.
This is the complete sentence that originated my question:

> 少年時代から２０年間もずっと過ごしてきて、他人 **から** 軽んじられるの **に** 慣れていなかった。

Now you can see what I clipped. I removed important information. Sorry I
caused confusion. I've learned how to ask questions better.

**ORIGINAL QUESTION**

> (1) イギリス人 **に** 軽{かろ}んじられた。  
>  (2) イギリス人 **から** 軽んじられた。

Both appear to be grammatically correct 受{う}け身形{みけい} and also have the same
meaning:  
_"I was looked-down upon by English people."_

> (3) 虎 **に** 食べられた。

Appears to be grammatically correct 受け身形 and mean:  
_"I was eaten by a tiger."_

So, if I can swap "から" for "に" in #1 and #2, can I do the same with #3 and
say:

> (4) 虎{とら} **から** 食{た}べられた。

#4 does not sound possible to me _(but maybe it is?)_.  
So, might it be that "に" is the standard/safe thing to use in 受け身形?  
Sometimes, "から" can be swapped for "に", but you'd need a native ear to sense
when that is appropriate?
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question
grammar particle-に passive-voice particle-から
The grammar of "虎から食べられた" and "虎に食べられた"?
In my response to your new query,

> MORE INFO In an effort to make my question as short as possible, I
> abbreviated too much. This is the complete sentence that originated my
> question:
>
> 少年時代から２０年間もずっと過ごしてきて、他人から軽んじられるのに慣れていなかった。
>
> Now you can see what I clipped. I removed important information. Sorry I
> caused confusion. I've learned how to ask questions better.

I thought you would like the answerer to explain the difference between the
above から an に.

If it is wrong, the kindly tell me.

After having researched on the net all through, the above postpositional
particle or the conjunctive particle **「から」** , which in **the Japanese active
voice** could have 11 meanings such as in English **from, by the way of, due
to etc, etc,** , **WHEREAS IN THE JAPANESE PASSIVE VOICE** , which is the
matter of this question, 「から」 **can be used only in quite limited
situations.** , only 2 or 3 cases.

**[Let's take a look at an
example](http://blog.livedoor.jp/veritedesu/archives/1925362.html)**

> ◆原料・材料の「から」は from ( make と共に使われることが多い）Butter is made from
> milk.「バターはミルクから作られる。」

Translated ( partly due to the existence of English translation )

> Case 1 : **から＝from**
>
> Example to denote "from some materials", or the "origin". ( I skip to
> translate some part intentionally due to the reason they have nothing to do
> with the Japanese passive voice. ) "Butter is made from milk."
>
> ◆相手方を示す「～から・・・される」 文が受身の意味になっている場合 by を用いる
> 「新しいラケットをおじさんからもらった。」の「から」は文全体が受身の意味になっているので、受動態で、I was given a new racket
> by my uncle.のようになる。

Translation

> Case 2 から＝ **been XXXXX by** This case can be always seen in the passive
> voice. The sentence 「I was given a new racket by my uncle.」 indicates the
> whole sentence should be expressed by the passive voice.

**Other researches indicated から, in the passive voice, denote "a starting
point".**

Considering the meaning of your question, から is used as **by**.

Let's break down part of your sentence by the component by the component in
order for (me) to explain clearly ( sorry ).

> 他人から軽んじられるのに慣れていなかった。

-->

> 他人(noun)/から(particle)/軽んじ（verb, "look down", 上一段, here 連用形)/られる（auxiliary,
> 連体形）/の（particle, 終助詞)/ **に** (later)/慣れていなかった(not be used to XXX )

Now here, the postpostional particle,
**[に](http://people.ucalgary.ca/~xyang/kobun/6-2-4.htm)** , denotes (四）in the
link, since the former postpositional particle の can be swapped by 事, thus
considering **what the speaker of the sentence is not used to** , I concluded
here に denotes the case （四）.

> （四）動作・作用の対象、結果を表わす。「車にする」「紙を半分に切る」

Translation

> (四）To denote objects, recipients, results etc of the action. 「buy? a car?」
> 「cut a sheet of paper into 2」

So the roles of the から and に in the sentence is different.

While in the passive voice, に is in the above link same with （六) ( the
reasons, methods, etc ),(八),( to denote someone or something that causes the
event ), に in the sentence of your question plays a role of （四） , meaning the
objects etc etc ( of the action ( in the above case **"to be used to** )).

**Please note**

As I said above,

**Other researches indicated から, in the passive voice, denote "a starting
point".**

So this is my opinion, ( I was not able to find any source with an apology ),
after から in the passive voice, the **recipient** who receives the **movement**
**must exist even after the "movement"**.

In English man/woman's case, the person ( unknown ) who **received** the
unfavorable feeling that the English man/woman had **still exists** , while
the Tiger's case, the person eaten by the Tiger **can not exist anymore**.
Thus as Brocolli also says, the **movement** can not occur, therfore, here in
this passive voice, the word から can not be used, I thought.

I hope I was able to help you with thank you. Have a nice day.

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**
To me it is a piece of a cake ( or it became a piece of a cake ( I learned
even though I am a native speaker....)).

> (2) イギリス人から軽んじられた。

「から」,which is used when in the Japanese passive voice **something is moved**
**_by the de facto subject._**

So here, (2), the actual ( de facto ) subject is イギリス人。

What was moved by the イギリス人？ I think it is the **feeling of "disregarding",
"looking down" etc ( which the English man/woman has inside his/her heart )**.
The feeling which the English man/woman has was **moved** to the person ( here
unknown ) so that the person can feel he or she is looked down.

Whereas, 虎から食べられた。'case,

**Is there anything that the subject 虎 can move or shift to the person**?

No, the motion, **To eat** can not be **moved.** Upon being eaten, the person
( the object ) dies. So nothing moves. So the latter can take only 「に」here,
which denotes simply the actual subject, 虎．

If we talk by the active voice, that might be easier to understand.

**The English man/woman looked down on him/her** --> The feeling ( which has
the English man/woman has ) was moved to the person so that the person can
feel he/she is looked down by the English man/woman.

**The tiger ate the person** --> "To eat" can not be moved because instantly
when the tiger eats the person dies......
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answer