仕方がない

Japanese

Kanji in this term
仕	方
し Grade: 3 (ateji)	かた Grade: 2
on'yomi	kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
仕方が無い

Alternative forms

• 仕(し)方(かた)ない (shikata nai)
• 仕(し)様(よう)がない (shiyō ga nai)
• しょうがない (shō ga nai)
• 致(いた)し方(かた)ない (itashikata nai)

Etymology

Phrase composed of 仕方がない (shikata ga nai, literally “there is no way”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɕi̥ka̠ta̠ ɡa̠ na̠i]
• (Tokyo) しかたがない [shìkátá gá náꜜì] (Nakadaka – [5])

Phrase

仕(し)方(かた)がない • (shikata ga nai) 

1. it can't be helped, nothing can be done about it, have no choice, c'est la vie, it is what it is
2. it is no use
3. it cannot be borne, one cannot help but (+ verb)

Synonyms

• (Kansai) しゃあない (shā nai)
• どうしようもない (dō shiyō mo nai)

Related terms

• 仕(し)方(かた)のない (shikata no nai), 仕(し)方(かた)の無(な)い (shikata no nai): that can't be helped (adjectival phrase modifying a noun)
• しょうがない (shō ga nai)
• ざるを得(え)ない (-zaru o enai, “cannot help but”)

References

• Ineko Kondō, Fumi Takano, Mary E. Althaus, et al. (2002), Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, third edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN