を余儀なくされる・
Circumstances leave no other way, and someone does what they never wanted to: "be forced to". される starts from whoever is forced; させる starts from what forced them. A word of news and reports: in careful speech people say ざるを得なかった, and among friends しかなかった.
With the typhoon approaching, the organizers have been forced to postpone the tournament.
The record-breaking rainfall forced the rail company to suspend service on all lines.
Be forced to
Noun + を余儀なくされる
The noun is the action, or the life someone is left with: 中止, 延期, 避難生活. A verb can't go straight in front: 中止を, not 中止するを.
Force someone to
Cause が + whoever is forced に + noun + を余儀なくさせる
- Before it
- Something unwelcome: 中止, 延期, 変更, 撤退 (withdrawal), 辞任 (resignation), 休業 (closing for a time).
- What forces it
- Usually said first, with により, ため or を受け: a disaster, an illness, a shortage, public anger.
- Where you'll meet it
- News, company statements, official announcements, history books.
Who is the subject?
The hospital was forced to close part of its facilities because of severe flooding.
The hospital is the subject: it was forced.
Severe flooding forced the hospital to close part of its facilities.
The flood is the subject: it did the forcing. The hospital takes に.
される is by far the more common of the two.
In use
As infections spread, many businesses were forced to shorten their opening hours.
Having lost their homes in the earthquake, many people are still forced to live as evacuees.
Not an action but a way of living. 入院生活, life in the hospital, goes the same way.
Strong public opposition forced the government to reverse its previous policy.
It reports a real setback
About an everyday mishap it is mock-solemn.
Sounds odd: 寝坊して、
Having overslept, I was forced to commute by taxi.
Said for a laugh. Plainly: タクシーで行くしかなかった.
Close neighbours
ざるを得ないN2
Circumstances force it, against your wishes: "have no choice but to". Written, and careful speech. It follows a verb.
For family reasons, I had no choice but to leave the company I had worked at for many years.
しかないN3
What people say. The same "no other choice" in everyday words.
Neither the bus nor a taxi is available, so we'll just have to walk to the venue.
させられるN4
The everyday "be made to": usually by a person, and usually a grumble.
When I was a child, my mother made me eat vegetables I disliked.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
大雪が、
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one is right?
業績の
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
余儀 is "another way", so 余儀なく is "with no other way left".
More sentences
Because of the budget cut, we were forced to scale back the plan.
Because a serious defect was found, the company was forced to postpone the release.
Following the breakdown of negotiations, the delegation was forced to change course.
A shortage of raw materials is forcing manufacturers to reconsider their pricing.
The prolonged drought is forcing local governments to introduce water restrictions.
The global semiconductor shortage forced automakers to reduce production of certain models.