Declaring the only option with "zhihao"

只好 is an adverb used to express that one "has no choice but to" or "has no other option but to." The option is one the speaker is not fond of.

Structure

⋯⋯ ，(Subj. +) 只好 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 餐厅 都 关门 了 ，我们 只好 去 吃 KFC 。The other restaurants are all closed, so 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, so 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, so she had to move away.
• 那天 突然 下雨 了 ，我们 只好 取消 。It rained suddenly that day, so 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, so he had to admit it.