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不得已

bù dé yǐ

HSK 7–9

Meaning

  • to act against one's will
  • to have no alternative but to
  • to have to
  • to have no choice
  • must

Definition

无可奈何，不得不这样。

Having no other choice; to be forced to do something.

Usage

用于表达在别无选择的情况下不得不采取某种行动或接受某种结果，带有无奈的语气。

Used to express that one has no alternative but to take a certain action or accept a certain result, conveying a sense of helplessness.

Examples

  • 1 他不得已才离开了家乡。(He had no choice but to leave his hometown.)
  • 2 因为下雨，我们不得已取消了比赛。(Because of the rain, we had to cancel the game.)
  • 3 为了生存，他不得已去做了那份工作。(To survive, he had no choice but to take that job.)
  • 4 她不得已才说了谎。(She lied only because she had no other choice.)
  • 5 这是不得已的办法。(This is a last resort.)

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