只好

zhǐhǎo

adverb HSK 3 #3,535

Meanings

Literally 'only good to' — implying you have no better option.

Méiyǒu gōngjiao chē, wǒ zhǐhǎo zǒulù.

There are no buses, so I have no choice but to walk.

Tā bù lái, wǒmen zhǐhǎo zìjǐ zuò.

He's not coming, so we have no choice but to do it ourselves.

Piào mài wán le, zhǐhǎo xià cì zài kàn.

The tickets are sold out; we'll have to watch it next time.

grammar

只好 always implies reluctance — you're doing something because there's no better alternative. The pattern is: [reason/problem], 只好 [reluctant action].

只 zhǐ

好 hǎo