“Has no choice but to” – zhǐhǎo

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, the expression 只好 zhǐhǎo is used to convey the idea that someone has no choice but to do something because it’s the only viable option or the best available solution in a given situation.

Structure

(S) + 只好 zhǐhǎo + V

大家dàjiā都dōu不想bùxiǎng當dāng班代bāndài， 只好zhǐhǎo抽籤chōuqiān決定juédìng大家dàjiā都dōu不想bùxiǎng当dāng班代bāndài， 只好zhǐhǎo抽签chōuqiān决定juédìng
No one wants to be the class representative, so we had to draw lots to decide.

家裡jiālǐ冷氣lěngqì壞了huàile， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo去qù咖啡店kāfēidiàn待著dāizhe家里jiālǐ空调kōngtiáo坏了huàile， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo去qù咖啡店kāfēidiàn待着dāizhe
The AC doesn’t work at home, so I had to stay at a coffee shop.

牛奶niúnǎi忘了wàngle冰bīng就jiù壞了huàile， 只好zhǐhǎo再zài去qù買mǎi一瓶yìpíng牛奶niúnǎi忘了wàngle冰bīng就jiù坏了huàile， 只好zhǐhǎo再zài去qù买mǎi一瓶yìpíng
I forgot to refrigerate the milk, so it went bad, and I had to buy another one.

餐廳cāntīng說shuō今天jīntiān的de預約yùyuē都dōu滿了mǎnle， 我們wǒmen只好zhǐhǎo改gǎi吃chī別bié家jiā餐厅cāntīng说shuō今天jīntiān的de预约yùyuē都dōu满了mǎnle， 我们wǒmen只好zhǐhǎo改gǎi吃chī别bié家jiā
The restaurant said all the reservations for today are full, so we had to eat at a different place.

因為yīnwèi一直yìzhí找不到zhǎobúdào男朋友nánpéngyǒu， 只好zhǐhǎo一個人yígerén生活shēnghuó因为yīnwèi一直yìzhí找不到zhǎobudào男朋友nánpéngyou， 只好zhǐhǎo一个人yígerén生活shēnghuó
Because I couldn’t find a boyfriend, I had to live alone.

公司gōngsī臨時línshí要yào加班jiābān， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo取消qǔxiāo跟gēn朋友péngyǒu的de聚餐jùcān公司gōngsī临时línshí要yào加班jiābān， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo取消qǔxiāo跟gēn朋友péngyou的de聚餐jùcān
The company required overtime at the last minute, so I had to cancel the dinner with my friends.

現在xiànzài餐廳cāntīng已經yǐjīng都dōu休息xiūxí了le， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo等děng晚餐wǎncān再zài吃chī现在xiànzài餐厅cāntīng已经yǐjīng都dōu休息xiūxi了le， 我wǒ只好zhǐhǎo等děng晚餐wǎncān再zài吃chī
Now all the restaurants are closed, so I’ll have to wait until dinner to eat.

FYI
In Taiwan, many restaurants have a break period between 2:00 or 2:30 PM until dinner service resumes at around 5:30 or 6:00 PM. This means that if you miss the lunchtime window, your options for a meal are often limited to coffee shops or convenience stores. It’s a common practice, especially in traditional eateries. However, not all restaurants follow this schedule, and some larger or international chains may offer continuous dining options throughout the day.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ My phone broke, so I had to take it for repair. I had to use my old one for now.

我的wǒde手機shǒujī壞了huàile拿ná去qù修理xiūlǐ， 只好zhǐhǎo先xiān用yòng以前yǐqián的de我的wǒde手机shǒujī坏了huàile拿ná去qù修理xiūlǐ， 只好zhǐhǎo先xiān用yòng以前yǐqián的de

✔️ I missed the last bus, so I had to walk home.

因為yīnwèi錯過cuòguò末班車mòbānchē， 只好zhǐhǎo走路zǒulù回家huíjiā因为yīnwèi错过cuòguò末班车mòbānchē， 只好zhǐhǎo走路zǒulù回家huíjiā

✔️ I’ve gained weight recently, and my clothes don’t fit anymore, so I had to give them away.

最近zuìjìn胖了pàngle衣服yīfú都dōu穿不下chuānbúxià， 只好zhǐhǎo拿ná去qù送sòng人rén最近zuìjìn胖了pàngle衣服yīfu都dōu穿不下chuānbuxià， 只好zhǐhǎo拿ná去qù送sòng人rén