Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 3: 15/23

より仕方(しかた)がない

There is no choice but, Can't be helped, Inevitable

Structure Legend

Structure

Verb + より + (ほか(1))+ 仕方(しかた)がない(2)

(1) ほかに(2) 仕方(しかた)ない

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About よりしかたがない

Often seen as a set phrase, よりしかたがない consists of より, the noun 仕方(しかた) 'way' or 'method', が and ない. When preceded by a verb in its dictionary form, it just conveys that 'there is no choice but (A)', or that '(A) cannot be helped'.
Occasionally the が will be dropped, between 仕方(しかた) and ない.
  • この建物(たてもの)はボロボロでいつ(たお)れてもおかしくないので、倉庫(そうこ)として使(つか)いたいなら()(なお)より仕方(しかた)がない
    This building is in bad condition and could fall down at any time, so if I want to use it as a warehouse, I have no choice but to rebuild it.
  • 高速道路(こうそくどうろ)通行(つうこう)()めになっている(ため)下道(したみち)使(つか)より仕方(しかた)がない
    Since the expressway is closed, there is no choice but to take the normal road.
  • 生活(せいかつ)をするにはお(かね)必要(ひつよう)なので(はたら)より仕方(しかた)ない
    I need money in order to live, so there is no choice but to work.
Keeping almost exactly the same style of translation is a similar pattern, より(ほか)にない. The only actual difference is that this structure expresses that there is no 'other' alternative, rather than being no 'method'. The noun (ほか) 'other' and に will simply replace 仕方(しかた) 'method' and が.
As with 仕方(しかた)が, the に will often be dropped in (ほか)に.
  • 自転車(じてんしゃ)のチェーンとブレーキがぶっ(こわ)れたので、()てるより(ほか)にない
    My bicycle chain and brakes are busted, so I have no choice but to throw them away.
  • 上司(じょうし)のパワハラのせいで()んできたので、精神科(せいしんか)()より(ほか)にない
    My mental health is not doing well because of my boss' power harassment, so I have no choice but to go to a therapist.
  • あんなひどい(こと)()ってしまったので、(あやま)より(ほか)ない
    Because I said such a terrible thing, I have no choice but to apologize.
Both よりしかたがない and よりほかにない have a tendency to express some particular evaluation of (A) that cannot be helped or denied, or simply that 'given the situation, (A) cannot be avoided'.

Examples

  • 税金(ぜいきん)は、(たか)くとも(おさ)めるよりしかたがない

    We have no choice but to pay taxes, even if they are high.

  • 税金(ぜいきん)は、(おさ)めるよりしかたないものだ。

    It is a fact that there is no choice but to pay taxes.

    when しかたがない is used in a relative clause が can be changed to の.

  • 人生(じんせい)には好調(こうちょう)()あれば、不調(ふちょう)()ある。したがって、不調(ふちょう)()()()れるより仕方(しかた)がない(おも)

    In life, there are both good days and bad days. Therefore we have no choice but to accept the bad ones.

  • (おや)になると夜中(やちゅう)(あか)ちゃん()こされることに()れるよりしかたがない

    If you become a parent, you have no choice but to get accustomed to being woken up in the middle of the night.

  • マラソン大会(たいかい)()たいなら、地道(じみち)にトレーニングを()よりしかたがない

    If you want to enter a marathon, there is no choice but to steadily pile on the training.

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よりしかたがない – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • Mannelito

    Mannelito

    About 1 year ago

    I’m having a really hard time separating より仕方がない and よりほかない, I can’t figure out a consistent pattern to tell these apart/which one to use and when. Somebody help!?

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    About 3 months ago

    I know these parts of the forum don’t see much light but I thought I’d ask anyway. The sentence prompt asked for formal -old fashioned . But no where in the grammar description does it say old fashion, and in the grammar info it says it’s standard register

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