Chinese–EnglishWith examples

只好

zhǐ hǎo · zhi hao

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to have no other option but to ...; to have to; to be forced to
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

Eighteen floors

  1. Liangliang

    电梯(diàntī)坏了(huàile)，我们(wǒmen)只好(zhǐhǎo)走(zǒu)楼梯(lóutī)。

    The elevator is broken. We have no choice but to take the stairs.

  2. Dengdeng

    十八楼(shíbālóu)？

    Eighteen floors?

  3. Liangliang

    对(duì)，只好(zhǐhǎo)走(zǒu)了(le)。

    Yes. We have no choice.

  4. Dengdeng

    到了(dàole)三楼(sānlóu)，我们(wǒmen)只好(zhǐhǎo)休息(xiūxi)一下(yīxià)。

    We reached the third floor, and we have to rest.

  5. Liangliang

    才(cái)三楼(sānlóu)！

    It is only the third floor!

  6. Dengdeng

    那(nà)我(wǒ)只好(zhǐhǎo)说实话(shuōshíhuà)：我(wǒ)要(yào)多(duō)休息(xiūxi)一会儿(yīhuìr)。

    Then I have no choice but to be honest: I need a longer rest.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)们(men)的(de)钱(qián)不(bú)够(gòu)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)我(wǒ)只(zhǐ)好(hǎo)把(bǎ)订(dìng)单(dān)取(qǔ)消(xiāo)了(le)。

I had to cancel that order because we didn't have enough money to pay for it.

Tatoeba: Chinese by will66 · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

末(mò)班(bān)车(chē)已(yǐ)经(jīng)开(kāi)走(zǒu)了(le)，我(wǒ)们(men)只(zhǐ)好(hǎo)走(zǒu)路(lù)回(huí)家(jiā)。

The last bus had already left, so we had no choice but to walk home.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
只
zhǐ

only; merely; just

好
hǎo

good; appropriate; proper

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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