JLPT N2Written, formalResigned

よりほかない・より仕し方かたがないnothing for it but to

Every other course has been ruled out, and one is left: "there is nothing for it but to". It is しかない for writing and careful speech: a conclusion you have reasoned your way to, often with a sigh.

交こう通つう手しゅ段だんがすべて利り用ようできないため、会かい場じょうまで徒と歩ほで向むかうよりほかない。

As all means of transportation are unavailable, there is no alternative but to proceed to the venue on foot.

天てん候こうが回かい復ふくするまで、ここで待まつより仕し方かたがない。

Until the weather improves, there is nothing to do but wait here.

How to form it

Verb dictionary form + よりほかない／より仕し方かたがない

Word for word, "there is nothing other than to …". Polite よりほかありません, past よりほかなかった.

Other shapes

Verb dictionary form + よりほかはない／ほかない／ほかはない

The same thing with は added or より dropped: 待まつほかない. ほかない is common in news and essays.

Which one: よりほかない and より仕し方かたがない mean the same. The second is built on 仕し方かたがない, "it can't be helped", so it tends to sound the more resigned.
Before it: The one course left. Why the others are gone is usually said first: …以い上じょう, …ため, …なら.
Where you'll meet it: Editorials, reports, essays, novels, speeches. In conversation people mostly say しかない.

In use

資し金きん援えん助じょが得えられない以い上じょう、計けい画かくを縮しゅく小しょうするよりほかない。

Since we cannot get financial support, there is nothing for it but to scale back the plan.

ここまで来きたら、あとは結けっ果かを待まつほかない。

Having come this far, all we can do now is wait for the result.

証しょう拠こがない以い上じょう、彼かれの言こと葉ばを信しんじるよりほかはない。

With no evidence, there is nothing for it but to take him at his word.

A

修しゅう理り用ようの部ぶ品ひんは、もう生せい産さんされていないそうです。

Apparently the parts needed to repair it are no longer made.

B

それなら、新あたらしい機き械かいに買かい替かえるより仕し方かたがないですね。

In that case, I suppose there is nothing for it but to replace it with a new machine.

Said aloud, it belongs to measured talk like this: a meeting, not a chat.

Close neighbours

しかないN3

What people say. The same "no other choice" in everyday words.

バスもタクシーも利り用ようできないから、会かい場じょうまで歩あるくしかない。

Neither the bus nor a taxi is available, so we'll just have to walk to the venue.

ざるを得えないN2

Circumstances force it, against your wishes: "have no choice but to". Written, and careful speech.

家か族ぞくの事じ情じょうで、長なが年ねん勤つとめた会かい社しゃを辞やめざるを得えなかった。

For family reasons, I had no choice but to leave the company I had worked at for many years.

てしかたがないN2

After a て-form, 仕し方かたがない is about a feeling: "so … I can't stand it".

試し験けんの結けっ果かが気きになってしかたがない。

I can't stop thinking about my exam results.

Check yourself

1Which one is right?

大おお雪ゆきで電でん車しゃが動うごかず、その夜よるは駅えき前まえのホテルに（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

道みちが通とおれない以い上じょう、引ひき返かえすほかない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

現げん時じ点てんでは証しょう拠こが不ふ十じゅう分ぶんなので、調ちょう査さを続つづけるより仕し方かたがない。

The evidence is not enough at this point, so there is nothing for it but to carry on with the investigation.

原げん本ぽんが失うしなわれた今いま、残のこされた写うつしから文ぶん書しょを復ふく元げんするよりほかない。

Now that the original has been lost, there is no alternative but to reconstruct the document from the surviving copies.

締しめ切きりの延えん長ちょうも増ぞう員いんも認みとめられないなら、作さ業ぎょう範はん囲いを見み直なおすよりほかない。

If we can have neither a later deadline nor more staff, there is nothing for it but to rethink the scope of the work.

Compared with similar forms

"Have no choice but to" and "can't not"