~しかない

〜shika nai

JLPT N3 Neutral Chapter 56: N3: Exclusivity (Only / Nothing But), 1 of 2

Formation

Verb-casual + しかない, い-Adjective + しかない, な-Adjective + しかない, Noun + しかない

Express the idea of 'only', 'no other option but', 'nothing else but'.

When to use

"No other option but" - emphasizes lack of alternatives, not just restriction.

Explanation

The ~しかない grammar point is used to emphasize that there are no other options or possibilities, and the subject must follow a specified action or state. It can be translated as 'only', 'no other option but', or 'nothing else but' in English.

Example sentences

Exclusivity (Only / Nothing But)

Corpus examples (60)

Showing 25 of 60 corpus examples.