Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 3/22

しかないHave no choice but, Only, Just

In more casual language or manga/anime, しかない is sometimes shortened to っきゃない

Structure

Verb + しかない

Details

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About しかない

しかない is a commonly used expression in Japanese that is partnered with verbs. It is a combination of しか, the adverbial particle, and the い-Adjective ない. This structure may be translated as 'to have no choice but (A)', or 'there is only (A)'. しかない regularly emphasizes the point that nothing apart from (A) is possible.

To use しかない, simply attach it directly to the non-past form of whichever verb you would like to highlight as being the 'only' possible action.

Unlike だけ, which implies that one particular option was chosen (out of several), しか always insinuates that (A) is the only option, and therefore will sound much stronger than だけ. Also, as only one option exists, it will often be assumed by the listener that some particular circumstances resulted in (A) being all that can be done.

Fun Fact

Occasionally, しかない may be used in manga, anime, or other forms of media that use casual language. In these cases, it is not uncommon to see しか abbreviated to っきゃ, resulting in っきゃない. However, this is not a common abbreviation in daily language.

  • この技(わざ)で倒(たお)れないのなら、必殺技(ひっさつわざ)を使(つか)うっきゃないな！
    If I can't defeat them using this move, there is no other choice but to use my special move, is there?
  • これほど完璧(かんぺき)なチャンスは二度(にど)とないから、今(いま)やるっきゃないでしょう。
    An opportunity this perfect will not come around a second time, so I have no other choice but to do it now.

Examples

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    人(ひと)が多(おお)いから、並(なら)ぶしかない。

    Because there are a lot of people, we have no choice but to line up.

    時(とき)が来(く)るのを待(ま)つしかないですよ。

    You have no choice but to wait for the time to come.

    こんなにうまくいかないかなあ… もう笑(わら)うしかない。

    To think that it would go this poorly... I have no choice but to laugh!

    素直(すなお)に謝(あやま)るしかないです。

    I have no choice but to sincerely apologize.

    この部屋(へや)はゴミだらけなので掃除(そうじ)するしかない。

    This room is full of trash. I have no choice but to clean it.

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      しかない – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

      • Pep95

        Pep95

        In which cases would they be different?

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        @Pep95 Hey! You cannot use しか after the conditional と in the sentence that you provided. Perhaps you meant 掃除しかしない? If we just breakdown 掃除するしかない and 掃除しかしない then we can pick apart the differences. 掃除するしかない means that there is nothing to do but clean or that one has no choice but to clean. 掃除しかしない means to do nothing but clean; the only thing that one is doing is cleaning and nothing else. You can use しか before 掃除 but you need a noun (since we are talking about cleaning, it is most likely a person) before it. 彼しか掃除しない means that he is the only one to clean (he is the only doing the cleaning (no one else cleans)). I hope this helps!

      • Pep95

        Pep95

        Pretty clear! Thank you so much.

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