无奈

無奈
wúnài
adjective HSK 5 #15,152

Meanings

  1. 1 helpless; having no alternative
  2. 2 but unfortunately; however (literary)

Characters

Without a 'what to do' - helpless, with no alternative.

Examples

HSK 3
Miànduì zhèzhǒng qíngkuàng, wǒmen hěn wúnài.
Facing this situation, we feel helpless.
HSK 4
Suīrán bù xiǎng qù, dàn wúnài méiyǒu biéde xuǎnzé.
Although I didn't want to go, unfortunately there was no other choice.
HSK 5
Tā wúnài de yáo le yáotóu.
He shook his head helplessly.

Tips

usage
无奈 expresses resigned helplessness - you don't like the situation but can't change it. 实属无奈 = truly helpless/no choice at all.
usage
Similar: 无可奈何 is the full four-character idiom meaning 'having no way out; utterly helpless.'

Stroke Order

nài