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Expressing "have no choice but to" with 只好 (zhǐhǎo)
HSK 4Structure
Situation, Subject + 只好 + Verb Phrase
Explanation
只好 (zhǐhǎo) means "have no choice but to" or "can only," expressing that the speaker is left with just one option due to circumstances. It implies reluctance — the action taken is not ideal but is the only available course. It typically follows a clause that explains the constraining situation.
Examples
下雨了没带伞，我只好在咖啡店等雨停。
Xià yǔ le méi dài sǎn, wǒ zhǐhǎo zài kāfēi diàn děng yǔ tíng.
It rained and I didn't have an umbrella, so I had no choice but to wait in a coffee shop for the rain to stop.
最后一班地铁已经走了，我们只好打车回家。
Zuìhòu yì bān dìtiě yǐjīng zǒu le, wǒmen zhǐhǎo dǎchē huí jiā.
The last subway train had already left, so we had no choice but to take a taxi home.
他不接电话，我只好给他发了一条短信。
Tā bù jiē diànhuà, wǒ zhǐhǎo gěi tā fā le yì tiáo duǎnxìn.
He didn't answer the phone, so I had no choice but to send him a text message.