How to use 只好
只好 + Verb Phrase
只好 presents an action as the remaining practical choice after alternatives have become unavailable or unacceptable. A preceding clause often explains the difficulty, and the 只好 clause states what the person consequently does. The action is usually a compromise rather than a preferred plan, so the expression often carries reluctance or resignation.
Place 只好 before the action phrase. The subject normally comes first, but some arrangements place a new actor after 只好 when the focus is who has to take over. Context determines whether the action is completed, planned, or currently necessary. Do not translate 只好 as a simple restriction meaning only; its central idea is the lack of a better workable alternative.
Examples with pinyin and English
餐厅都关门了，我们只好去吃 KFC。
The other restaurants are all closed, so we had no choice but to eat at KFC.
我忘了预约， 只好去排队。
I forgot to make an appointment, so I had to wait in line.
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 raise, so I have to take on some side work.
What to remember
- Explain the constraint when it is not obvious.
- 只好 introduces the remaining course of action.
- It often suggests reluctant acceptance.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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