system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is passive aggressive behaviour?
gpt
Let’s say your housemate keeps using your frying pan without cleaning it afterwards. You get understandably annoyed at having to clean up their mess every time you want to use your own frying pan. The diplomatic, mature way to deal with it would be to politely but firmly tell them to clean it up whenever they use it. The passive way to deal with it would be to ignore it and avoid conflict. The aggressive way to do it would be to shout at them and cause a massive fight over the issue. 

The passive-aggressive way however would be to hide it so that they can’t use it. It’s passive in the sense that you’re not directly confronting them or dealing with the issue. It’s aggressive because it’s still actively doing something that might seem petty and mean spirited in order to send a message.

In short, it’s saying “fuck you” without actually saying it.