〜を余儀なくされる (~o yoginaku sareru) — be forced to ~
Because of something beyond your control, you had to do ~ against your wishes — a formal news form.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- Turn on the TV in a Japanese summer and you hear news like: 「台風の影響で、花火大会は中止を余儀なくされた」— because of the typhoon, the fireworks festival was forced to cancel.
- This is stiff news-and-report language, not for chatting with friends.
Meaning
- 「〜を余儀なくされる」: the organisers didn't want to cancel, but an outside cause (weather, illness, an accident, money trouble) left no other choice.
- 「余儀ない」means 'there is no other way', so 「余儀なくされる」= 'was left with no other way'.
How to attach
- N + 「を余儀なくされる」— usually an action noun like 延期・中止・入院・避難・変更
- The cause often comes first: 〜のため・〜の影響で・〜により
- With the cause as subject: 「〜を余儀なくさせる」: 地震が住民に避難を余儀なくさせた
Versus what you know
N2It overlaps with 「〜ざるを得ない」(have no choice but to), but that uses a verb and states the speaker's own decision (辞めざるを得ない); 「余儀なくされる」turns the action into a noun and says it like a passive, pushed by an outside force (退職を余儀なくされる).
Watch out
Never for something you happily chose yourself.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
台風の影響で、花火大会は中止を余儀なくされた。
たいふうのえいきょうで、はなびたいかいはちゅうしをよぎなくされた。
Because of the typhoon, the fireworks festival had to be canceled.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 台風の影響で = due to the typhoon (an outside cause) → 中止 = cancellation (an N for an action) → 「を余儀なくされた」 = had to do it against their wishes → a stiff, news-style sentence.
地震で家を失った人々は、長い避難生活を余儀なくされている。
じしんでいえをうしなったひとびとは、ながいひなんせいかつをよぎなくされている。
People who lost their homes in the earthquake have been forced to live as evacuees for a long time.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 地震で家を失った = lost their homes in the earthquake (the reason) → 避難生活 = life as evacuees (N) → 「を余儀なくされている」 = are still living that way now because they have no choice.
人手不足のため、その店は営業時間の短縮を余儀なくされた。
ひとでふそくのため、そのみせはえいぎょうじかんのたんしゅくをよぎなくされた。
Due to a staff shortage, the shop was forced to cut its opening hours.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 人手不足のため = because of a staff shortage (the reason) → 営業時間の短縮 = cutting opening hours (N) → 「を余儀なくされた」 = had to do it against their wishes.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「大雨のため、試合は延期＿＿余儀なくされた。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: The particle between the noun and 余儀なくされる.
N + を余儀なくされる. 延期を余儀なくされた = was forced to postpone.
In which sentence is 「を余儀なくされる」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Forced by an outside cause, or by your own happy choice?
余儀なくされる = forced by an outside cause against your will. Travelling abroad after winning the lottery is your own happy choice.
Saying it yourself: 'There's no other way, I have to quit my job' — which is natural?
💡 Hint: Which form attaches straight to a verb?
ざるを得ない attaches to a verb (辞める → 辞めざるを得ない). 余儀なくされる needs a noun: 退職を余儀なくされる.
Your score: /3