しかない

Have No Choice but

Level 3Sounds Like shikanai

The pattern しかない means 'have no choice but to' or 'there is nothing to do but.' It is used when all other possibilities have been exhausted, leaving only one remaining course of action.

How It Works

1. Formation
To use this pattern, simply attach しかない to the dictionary form of a verb.

  • 行く（いく） (to go) → 行くしかない (have no choice but to go)
  • 買う（かう） (to buy) → 買うしかない (have no choice but to buy)

2. Nuance and Resignation
Unlike a simple 'must' (なければならない), しかない implies that the speaker has looked for other ways out but found none. It is frequently used in situations where the remaining option is difficult, inconvenient, or undesirable. However, it can also be used for strong determination, as in 'We've come this far, we just have to do it!' (やるしかない！).

3. Usage with Nouns
While this pattern is often used with verbs, it is fundamentally based on the particle しか, which requires a negative predicate. When used with a noun, it means 'only' or 'nothing but.' For example, 「お金が百円しかない」 means 'I only have 100 yen.' Note that しか replaces the particles が and を, but it follows other particles like に or で (e.g., 東京にしかいない). In the verb pattern 'Verb + しかない', the word ない (the negative of ある) serves as the required negative predicate.

4. Politeness Levels
In casual speech, you might hear the contraction っきゃない (e.g., やるっきゃない). In formal situations, use the polite negative form: しかありません.

5. Comparison with Similar Patterns
While だけ also means 'only,' it is neutral. しかない carries a stronger emphasis that 'nothing else exists.' For more formal writing, よりほかない is used instead.

Examples (4)

  1. 終電（しゅうでん）に遅（おく）れたから、タクシーで帰（かえ）るしかない。

    I missed the last train, so I have no choice but to go home by taxi.

    Word by Word: Last train (to) was late because, taxi by return only exists-not.

    Since the train is gone, the only remaining physical option is a taxi.

  2. お金（かね）がないなら、アルバイトをするしかないだろう。

    If you don't have money, you'll just have to get a part-time job, right?

    Word by Word: Money (subject) not-exist if, part-time job (object) do only exists-not probably.

    The speaker suggests that working is the only logical solution to the lack of money.

  3. パソコンが壊（こわ）れた。新（あたら）しいのを買（か）うしかない。

    My computer broke. I have no choice but to buy a new one.

    Word by Word: Computer (subject) broke. New one (object) buy only exists-not.

    Repairing isn't an option, so buying a new one is the only path left.

  4. ここまで来（き）たら、最後までやるしかない！

    Now that we've come this far, we've just gotta do it until the end!

    Word by Word: To here came if, until end do only exists-not!

    Here, the pattern expresses strong determination rather than just sad resignation.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the positive form ある instead of ない.

    歩くしかないある。
    歩くしかない。

    The particle しか must always be followed by a negative verb (like ない or ありません) to mean 'only'.

  • Using the past tense before しかない.

    歩いたしかない。
    歩くしかない。

    The action you 'have no choice but to do' is a future or current action, so the dictionary form is required.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

しかないLevel 3Have No Choice but

Learn This First

To understand しかない (have no choice but), you first need to be familiar with the basic 'shika... nai' particle construction which means 'only'. Since this pattern specifically attaches to the dictionary form of verbs to indicate a lack of alternatives, a solid grasp of basic verb concepts and sentence structure is required.

Words in This Pattern

しかないしか