Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 3: 15/23

より仕方(しかた)がないThere is no choice but, Can't be helped, Inevitable

Structure

Verb + より + (ほか(1))+ 仕方(しかた)がない(2)

(1) ほかに(2) 仕方(しかた)ない

Details

  • Register

    Standard

About よりしかたがない

Often seen as a set phrase, よりしかたがない consists of より, the noun 仕方(しかた) 'way' or 'method', が and ない. When preceded by a verb in its dictionary form, it just conveys that 'there is no choice but (A)', or that '(A) cannot be helped'.

Occasionally the が will be dropped, between 仕方(しかた) and ない.

Keeping almost exactly the same style of translation is a similar pattern, より(ほか)にない. The only actual difference is that this structure expresses that there is no 'other' alternative, rather than being no 'method'. The noun (ほか) 'other' and に will simply replace 仕方(しかた) 'method' and が.

As with 仕方(しかた)が, the に will often be dropped in (ほか)に.

Both よりしかたがない and よりほかにない have a tendency to express some particular evaluation of (A) that cannot be helped or denied, or simply that 'given the situation, (A) cannot be avoided'.

Examples

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    税金(ぜいきん)は、(たか)くとも(おさ)めるより仕方(しかた)がない

    We have no choice but to pay taxes, even if they are high.

    税金(ぜいきん)は、(おさ)めるより仕方(しかた)のないものだ。

    It is a fact that there is no choice but to pay taxes.

    ミシンが故障(こしょう)しているから、()()より仕方(しかた)がない

    Since the sewing machine is broken, there is no choice but to sew (it) by hand.

    見本(みほん)がないから、(あたま)(なか)でイメージして(つく)より仕方(しかた)がない

    Since there is no example, there is no choice but to make an image in my head.

    (おや)になると夜中(やちゅう)(あか)ちゃんに()こされることに()れるより仕方(しかた)がない

    If you become a parent, you have no choice but to get accustomed to being woken up in the middle of the night.

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        よりしかたがない – Grammar Discussion

        Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

        • Mannelito

          Mannelito

          I’m having a really hard time separating より仕方がない and よりほかない, I can’t figure out a consistent pattern to tell these apart/which one to use and when. Somebody help!?

        • IcyIceBear

          IcyIceBear

          I know these parts of the forum don’t see much light but I thought I’d ask anyway. The sentence prompt asked for formal -old fashioned . But no where in the grammar description does it say old fashion, and in the grammar info it says it’s standard register

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