无奈 (wú nài) is a common word meaning 'helpless, having no alternative'; it can also be used as a conjunction meaning 'but unfortunately'. It is more everyday than the formal idiom 无可奈何 (wú kě nài hé), which means the same but is a four-character phrase used in writing. Compared to 不得已 (bù dé yǐ), which emphasizes being forced by circumstances, 无奈 focuses on the feeling of resignation.