modality N3 common casualpolitewritten
しかない — have no choice but to / there's only ~
しかない
Builds on しか
Meaning
① no-choice: have no choice but to ~ / can only ~ — the one remaining option is the action named
② only: there's only ~ / nothing but ~ — the quantity or option is limited to just that
Key sentence
① no-choice
終電を逃したから、歩いて帰るしかない。
I missed the last train, so I have no choice but to walk home.
② only
財布には百円しかない。
I only have a hundred yen in my wallet.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) — 'no choice' sense | V(る) + しかない | 待つ → 待つしかない |
| Noun (+ counter) — 'only' sense | N + しか + ない | 一人しかいない |
Examples
① no-choice
誰も助けてくれないなら、自分でやるしかない。
If no one will help, I'll just have to do it myself.
薬がないので、我慢するしかなかった。
There was no medicine, so I had no choice but to endure it.
② only
この店にはサイズがSしかない。
This shop only has size S.
Easily confused with
しか しか〜ない is the underlying 'only' particle (これしかない = 'there's only this'). しかない attached to a dictionary-form verb extends that to 'the only thing to do is ~' = 'have no choice but to.' 〜よりほかない より(の)ほかない is a more formal/written way to say 'have no choice but to ~.' V-るしかない is the everyday, conversational equivalent.
See しかない in real sentences
Jengo shows しかない the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.