Definition
迫不得已 is a four-character idiom meaning 'to have no choice but to' or 'to be forced to do something against one's will'. It emphasizes reluctance — the action is taken only because there is no alternative. You can use it in both formal and informal contexts, often before the verb or at the end of a sentence. Unlike the English 'be forced to', 迫不得已 carries a stronger sense of regret or unwillingness.
f.e.
to have no choice but to (do something reluctantly)to be forced to (against one's will)
Examples
- 迫不得已。Tā pò bù dé yǐ cái shuō le huǎnghuà.He only lied because he had no other choice.
- 迫不得已。Gōngsī pò bù dé yǐ cái diào le yí bùfen yuángōng.The company was forced to lay off some employees.
- 迫不得已，。Wǒ zhèyàng zuò shì pò bù dé yǐ de, qǐng nǐ lǐjiě.I did this because I had no choice — please understand.
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