Shikatanai

Other forms:

仕方ない (Shikatanai) is a Japanese i-adjective meaning “there's no (other) way, cannot be helped, unavoidable, inevitable”.

Meanings

  1. i-adjectivethere's no (other) way
  2. i-adjectivecannot be helped; unavoidable; inevitable; (there's) nothing one can do; having no choice
  3. i-adjectiveit's no use (doing); pointless; useless; no good; insufficient; not enoughoft. as 〜ても仕方ない
  4. i-adjectivehopeless (person); annoying; troublesome; awful
  5. i-adjectivecannot stand it; unbearable; cannot help (doing, feeling); dying (to do)as 〜て仕方ない or 〜で仕方ない

Examples

  • It's too hot.

  • It cannot be helped.

  • We have no alternative but to work.

Sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR).

Kanji in 仕方ない

Related words