Declaring the only option with "zhihao"

“只好”，语气副词，表示没有其他选择，不太情愿做某事。跟“不得不”意思差不多，但语气没那么重。

Using 只好 before Verb

Structure

……，（Subj.）＋只好 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 上 个 周末 下雨 了 ， 我们 只好 待 在 家 。 Shàng gè zhōumò xiàyǔ le, wǒmen zhǐhǎo dāi zài jiā. It rained last weekend. We didn't have a choice but stay at home.
• 太 晚 了 ， 我 只好 打车 回去 。 Tài wǎn le, wǒ zhǐhǎo dǎchē huíqù. It's too late. I had to take a taxi back home.
• 别的 餐厅 都 关门 了 ， 我们 只好 去 吃 KFC 。 Biéde cāntīng dōu guānmén le, wǒmen zhǐhǎo qù chī KFC. Other restaurants are all closed. We didn't have a choice but go to KFC to eat.
• 我们 今天 没 买到 票 ， 只好 明天 再 买 。 Wǒmen jīntiān méi mǎi dào piào, zhǐhǎo míngtiān zài mǎi. We didn't get the tickets, so we had to buy it tomorrow.
• 他 中午 没 时间 去 吃饭 ， 只好 叫 外卖 。 Tā zhōngwǔ méi shíjiān qù chīfàn, zhǐhǎo jiào wàimài. He didn't have time for lunch, so he had to order food.

Using 只好 before Subject

Structure

……，只好 + Subj.＋Verb Phrase

Examples

• 他 没有 时间 去，只好 我 去 了。 He doesn't have time to go. So I have to go.
• 爸爸 的 话 他 总是 不 听，只好 妈妈 去 跟 他 说。 He always doesn't listen to what his father said. It has to be his mother who'll talk to him.
• 我们 都 要 上班，只好 女儿 自己 去。 We all need to go to work. Our daughter has to go by herself.
• 老板 不 在，只好 你 来 见 这 个 新 客户 了。 The boss isn't here. It has to be you to meet this new client for him.
• 爸 妈 今天 不 在 家，只好 我 来 照顾 妹妹 了。 My parents are not home today. It has to be me who looks after my little sister.

Sources and further reading

Books

{{Similar|Expressing "have to" with budebu}