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 mǎidào 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 。 Tā méiyǒu shíjiān qù, zhǐhǎo wǒ qù le. 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 。 Bàba de huà tā zǒngshì bù tīng, zhǐhǎo māma qù gēn tā shuō. 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 。 Wǒmen dōu yào shàngbān, zhǐhǎo nǚ’ér zìjǐ qù. 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 。 Lǎobǎn bù zài, zhǐhǎo nǐ lái jiàn zhège xīn kèhù le. 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 。 Bà mā jīntiān bù zài jiā, zhǐhǎo wǒ lái zhàogu mèimei le. 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}