Comparing "budebu" and "zhihao"
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Both 不得不(bù dé bù) and 只好(zhǐ hǎo) actually have subtly different meanings. Using them properly requires attention to some small details.
Contents
The similarities between 不得不 and 只好
They both indicate that there are no other choices available,something unwanted has to be done.They are also used in a very similar grammar pattern. Just place either 不得不 or 只好 before the verb.
Structure
不得不/只好 + Verb
Examples
- 没有 带 钱 出门，不得不 向 朋友 借。
- 那件 衣服 好 喜欢，可是 没 带 钱，只好 不 买 了。
The differences between 不得不 and 只好
不得不 and 只好 express similar concepts,but 不得不 has a stronger tone than 只好. It means that one does something not because he wants to, but because he is forced to.
In short, 只好 means there is no better choice, 不得不 means there is no other choice.[1]
不得不 also can carry a meaning similar to 不得已 or 无可奈何, meaning "someone cannot help but do something."
Examples
- 刚 下 飞机，还 没 找到 宾馆，行李 不得不 寄存 在 朋友 那。
- 刚 下 飞机，还 没 找到 宾馆，行李 只好 寄存 在 朋友 那。
In the first example above, the person has no other choice but to leave the the luggage at the friend's house. In the second example, the person decides that the best option is the leaving it at the friend's house. (perhaps it's a better option than renting a storage unit, leaving it at the airport etc.)
One other thing, 不得不 can only be followed by a positive phrase (meaning a phrase that does not contain 不 or 没), 只好 can be followed either by a positive or negative phrase (it can have a 不 or 没).
Examples
- 迫于 生计，他 不得不 到 大城市 去 打工。
- 没有 他的 帮忙，我 只好 靠 自己 了。
- 外面 下 大雨 了，我 只好 不 出去 了。
Commonly used expressions of 不得不
Examples
- 不得不 承认
- 不得不 放弃
- 不得不 离开
- 不得不 接受
- 不得不 忍受
References: Template:Reflist
Sources and further reading
Books
- Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)(P.211) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)(P.44) →buy
