しかない
🃏 Flashcard
しかない
shikanai
Tap to reveal usage
have no choice but~
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
shikanai
Post ID
50920
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
have no choice but~
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
しかない
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat しかない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using しかない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern しかない mean?
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Have no choice but~
What JLPT level is しかない?
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JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. To pass JLPT N3 you need to recognise and use this pattern correctly in reading and listening sections.
How do you use しかない in a sentence?
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Attach しかない (shikanai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is しかない formal or casual Japanese?
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しかない is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember しかない long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review at 10 minutes, 1 day and 3 days (spaced repetition). Writing two original sentences at each review session is the fastest way to reach production-level mastery.