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。

Structure

⋯⋯ ，(Subj. +) 只好 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 餐厅 都 关门 了 ，我们 只好 去 吃 KFC 。Other restaurants are all closed. We didn't have a choice but go to KFC to eat.
• 我 忘 了 预约 ，只好 去 排队 。I forgot to make an appointment. I had to wait in a queue.
• 他 没有 时间 去 ，只好 我 去 。He doesn't have time to go. So I have to go.
• 老板 不 给 我 涨工资 ，我 只好 去 干私活 。The boss wouldn't give me a pay raise. I had to do some private jobs.
• 她 实在 受不了 那么 吵闹 的 邻居 ，只好 搬走 了 。She really can't stand such noisy neighbors. She had to move away.
• 那天 突然 下雨 了 ，我们 只好 取消 。It rained suddenly that day. We had to cancel it.
• 警察 给 小偷 看 了 监控 ，小偷 只好 承认 了 。The police showed the surveillance to the thief. He had to admit it.

Sources and further reading

Books

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