只好 (have no choice but to)

The last bus has gone

• You leave a party at midnight and the last bus left ten minutes ago. Taxis are all taken.
• not have / haven't没有méi yǒuwar chariot (archaic)车chē(completed / change)了le，we / us我们wǒ menhad to只好zhǐ hǎoto walk走zǒuto return home回家huí jiā。 — "There's no transport left, so we have no choice but to walk home."

Obstacle，Subject + had to只好zhǐ hǎo + Verb

• had to只好zhǐ hǎo = "have no choice but to, can only": the action is the only option left.
• The reason comes first; had to只好zhǐ hǎo goes after the subject of the result: I我wǒhad to只好zhǐ hǎo….

fall下xiàheavy rain大雨dà yǔ了le，the match比赛bǐ sàihad to只好zhǐ hǎobe cancelled取消qǔ xiāo。

Accepting a second-best choice

• the shop商店shāng diànclosed关门guān mén(completed / change)了le，I我wǒhad to只好zhǐ hǎotomorrow明天míng tiānagain再zàicome来lái。 — "The shop was closed, so I'll have to come back tomorrow."
• he他tāimprobable不会bú huìto prepare a meal做饭zuò fàn，had to只好zhǐ hǎoevery day每天měi tiānvariant of 吃吃chīinstant noodles方便面fāng biàn miàn。 — "He can't cook, so he has to eat instant noodles every day."

the shop商店shāng diànclosed关门guān mén了le，I我wǒhad to只好zhǐ hǎotomorrow明天míng tiānagain再zàicome来lái。

Reason first, had to只好zhǐ hǎo after the subject

had to只好zhǐ hǎo versus had to不得不bù dé bú

• had to不得不bù dé bú is stronger and a little more formal: forced by duty or pressure: he他tāill病bìng(completed / change)了le，I我wǒhad to不得不bù dé búfor替tìhe他tāteach上课shàng kè.
• had to只好zhǐ hǎo sounds more resigned: "Oh well, I'll just have to …".

he他tāill病bìng了le，I我wǒhad to不得不bù dé búfor替tìhim他tāteach上课shàng kè。

Recap

Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Adverbs.