# を余儀なくされる: to be forced to do something because one has no other choice

> Learn how to use を余儀なくされる, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning to be forced to do something, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.

JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-o-yogi-naku-sareru/

**を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** means **to be forced to do something because one has no other choice**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used when external circumstances or pressures compel an action, leaving the subject no alternative.

This formal, written pattern appears frequently in news reports, business announcements, and academic writing. If you need to describe a situation where a decision was effectively made for someone—by nature, by market forces, or by public opinion—**を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** is the precise tool you want.

<div class="pullquote">
When external circumstances leave you no choice, を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる captures that formal imposition.
</div>

## What does を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる mean?

Use **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** when you want to say that someone or something was **forced into a certain outcome, action, or state, with no alternative available**. The emphasis is on the external source of the compulsion—something outside the subject's control made the result inevitable.

Natural translations include:
- to be forced to do; to be compelled to; to have no choice but to (formal)

Think of a company forced to recall a product because of a scandal, a government forced to reverse a policy due to public outcry, or an event cancelled because of a natural disaster. In each case, the actor didn't want the outcome but had no other realistic path. **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** is the go-to expression in Japanese for those situations.

The tone is formal and impersonal. It distances the speaker from the decision, making it suitable for official statements where emotions should not show.

## How to form を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる

**Noun ＋ を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる**

The noun is almost always a **kango (Sino-Japanese) compound** that describes the forced outcome—words like <ruby>撤退<rt>てったい</rt></ruby> (withdrawal), <ruby>中止<rt>ちゅうし</rt></ruby> (cancellation), <ruby>辞任<rt>じにん</rt></ruby> (resignation), <ruby>変更<rt>へんこう</rt></ruby> (change), or <ruby>延期<rt>えんき</rt></ruby> (postponement). Because the grammar itself is passive, the subject is the one who undergoes the compulsion, not the one who forces it.

<div class="formation">
  <span class="ftoken t-core">Noun</span>
  <span class="fplus">＋</span>
  <span class="ftoken t-aux">を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる</span>
</div>

Examples of the pattern:
- <ruby>撤退<rp>(</rp><rt>てったい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる — to be forced to withdraw
- <ruby>中止<rp>(</rp><rt>ちゅうし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる — to be forced to cancel
- <ruby>延期<rp>(</rp><rt>えんき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる — to be forced to postpone
- <ruby>大幅<rp>(</rp><rt>おおはば</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>な<ruby>変更<rp>(</rp><rt>へんこう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる — to be forced to make major changes

The agent—the person or thing that actually exerts the force—can be indicated by **によって** or **により** before the noun clause, or it can remain implied by a preceding reason clause. In JLPT questions, they will often test whether you can identify that a **noun** (not a verb or adjective) must come right before を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる.

## When is を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる used?

Use **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** in these contexts:

- **Formal writing**: news articles, business reports, government statements, academic papers.
- **Describing forced outcomes** from natural disasters, market shifts, public pressure, legal requirements, etc.
- **When you want to emphasize that the decision was not made freely** but was imposed by circumstances.

Because of its formality, you will rarely hear it in casual conversation. A friend would not say that they were “forced to change plans” with this pattern; they would use ～ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なかった or a simpler expression. Reserve **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** for contexts where you need a professional, detached tone.

Typical register: **neutral to highly formal, always written**. Even when read aloud in a speech, it carries a scripted, official weight.

## を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる example sentences

<div class="examples">

<div class="example">
  <div class="example-jp"><ruby>大雨<rt>おおあめ</rt></ruby>の<ruby>影響<rt>えいきょう</rt></ruby>で、<ruby>野外<rt>やがい</rt></ruby>イベントは<ruby>中止<rt>ちゅうし</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  <div class="example-en">Due to the heavy rain, the outdoor event was forced to be cancelled.</div>
  <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">natural disaster</span> <span class="example-tag">cancellation</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
  <div class="example-jp"><ruby>業績<rt>ぎょうせき</rt></ruby><ruby>悪化<rt>あっか</rt></ruby>により、<ruby>会社<rt>かいしゃ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>事業<rt>じぎょう</rt></ruby>の<ruby>大幅<rt>おおはば</rt></ruby>な<ruby>縮小<rt>しゅくしょう</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  <div class="example-en">As a result of worsening performance, the company was forced into a major downsizing of its business.</div>
  <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">business</span> <span class="example-tag">economic pressure</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
  <div class="example-jp"><ruby>抗議<rt>こうぎ</rt></ruby>が<ruby>全土<rt>ぜんど</rt></ruby>に<ruby>拡大<rt>かくだい</rt></ruby>し、<ruby>政府<rt>せいふ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>政策<rt>せいさく</rt></ruby>の<ruby>撤回<rt>てっかい</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  <div class="example-en">Protests spread nationwide, forcing the government to retract its policy.</div>
  <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">politics</span> <span class="example-tag">public pressure</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
  <div class="example-jp"><ruby>怪我<rt>けが</rt></ruby>が<ruby>思<rt>おも</rt></ruby>ったより<ruby>重<rt>おも</rt></ruby>く、<ruby>選手<rt>せんしゅ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>長期<rt>ちょうき</rt></ruby>の<ruby>休養<rt>きゅうよう</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  <div class="example-en">The injury turned out to be more serious than expected, and the athlete was forced to take an extended rest.</div>
  <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">health</span> <span class="example-tag">unforeseen circumstances</span></div>
</div>

<div class="example">
  <div class="example-jp"><ruby>資金<rt>しきん</rt></ruby><ruby>不足<rt>ぶそく</rt></ruby>により、プロジェクトの<ruby>延期<rt>えんき</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  <div class="example-en">Due to lack of funds, we were forced to postpone the project.</div>
  <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">project management</span> <span class="example-tag">financial constraint</span></div>
</div>

</div>

In every sentence, look at what came before — a rainstorm, a financial slump, nationwide outrage, an injury, a funding gap. None of these are choices made by the subject; they are external forces that leave the subject with no path except the one expressed by the noun before を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる.

## Nuance of を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる

The core nuance is **external imposition with zero agency**. This isn't just “had to” — it’s “circumstances made it so that the only possible outcome was X.” That distinction separates **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** from softer obligation patterns.

Key feelings the pattern conveys:
- **Powerlessness**: the subject had no real say in the matter.
- **Inevitability**: given the conditions, the result was unavoidable.
- **Formal distance**: emotions are stripped out; the focus is purely on the causal chain.

Because the pattern itself is passive, it never sounds like the subject is taking responsibility or volunteering. If you want to say a company willingly downsized as a strategic move, **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** would be dishonest. It only works when the company was **forced** into that decision.

This nuance matters on the JLPT and in real-world comprehension. A N1 reading passage might use **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** to signal that the author views the outcome as externally determined, whereas a different pattern would imply personal choice.

## を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる vs ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない

Both express compulsion, but they come from very different angles.

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp">
    <div class="a">
      <div class="cmp-head">を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる</div>
      <div class="cmp-sub">External, formal, impersonal</div>
      <div class="cmp-when">The compulsion comes from outside forces — weather, economy, public pressure. The subject is just a recipient of fate.</div>
      <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>台風<rt>たいふう</rt></ruby>で<ruby>式<rt>しき</rt></ruby>の<ruby>中止<rt>ちゅうし</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
      <div class="cmp-eg-en">The ceremony was forced to be cancelled due to the typhoon.</div>
    </div>
    <div class="b">
      <div class="cmp-head">ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない</div>
      <div class="cmp-sub">Internal, subjective, acknowledges personal judgment</div>
      <div class="cmp-when">The speaker weighs the situation and concludes “I have no choice.” It implies a thought process, not blind fate.</div>
      <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>証拠<rt>しょうこ</rt></ruby>を<ruby>見<rt>み</rt></ruby>れば、<ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>が<ruby>嘘<rt>うそ</rt></ruby>をついていると<ruby>言<rt>い</rt></ruby>わざるを<ruby>得<rt>え</rt></ruby>ない。</div>
      <div class="cmp-eg-en">Given the evidence, I have no choice but to say he is lying.</div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

The typhoon example doesn’t involve anyone’s decision — nature forced the cancellation. The lying example is a conclusion reached by a person after reasoning. You could not swap the patterns without changing the entire tone. **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** would sound absurd in the lying sentence because lying is not a weather event; **ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない** would sound too casual and subjective for an official report about the typhoon.

When in doubt, ask: *Who or what made the outcome inevitable?* If the answer is “the speaker’s own judgment,” use ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない. If it’s “an external, often uncontrollable factor,” を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる is your pattern.

## Common mistakes with を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる

<div class="mistakes">

<div class="mistake">
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>雨<rt>あめ</rt></ruby>で<ruby>行<rt>い</rt></ruby>くを<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark good">✅</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>雨<rt>あめ</rt></ruby>で<ruby>出発<rt>しゅっぱつ</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  </div>
  <div class="note">You cannot attach the grammar directly to a verb. A noun describing the forced outcome is required. <ruby>行く<rp>(</rp><rt>いく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> is the verb, so it doesn’t fit. Use a noun like <ruby>出発<rp>(</rp><rt>しゅっぱつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> (departure).</div>
</div>

<div class="mistake">
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>会社<rt>かいしゃ</rt></ruby>を<ruby>辞<rt>や</rt></ruby>めるを<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark good">✅</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>会社<rt>かいしゃ</rt></ruby>の<ruby>辞任<rt>じにん</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。</div>
  </div>
  <div class="note">Again, a verb (<ruby>辞める<rp>(</rp><rt>やめる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>) can’t sit before を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる. Use the noun form <ruby>辞任<rp>(</rp><rt>じにん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> (resignation). Learners often try to convert a verb directly, but this pattern consistently demands a noun.</div>
</div>

<div class="mistake">
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>社長<rt>しゃちょう</rt></ruby>は<ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>に<ruby>辞任<rt>じにん</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくさせた。</div>
  </div>
  <div class="mline">
    <div class="mark good">✅</div>
    <div class="mline-body"><ruby>社長<rt>しゃちょう</rt></ruby>は<ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>に<ruby>辞任<rt>じにん</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくさせた。(causative form: を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくさせる)</div>
  </div>
  <div class="note">Be careful not to confuse the passive される with the causative させる. The sentence above is grammatically possible with <ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくさせる (to force someone to do), but it changes the meaning entirely. If you intend “he was forced to resign”, you cannot use させる. The される form is the one that means “was forced”.</div>
</div>

</div>

A good self-check: replace the noun before を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる with a question like “What was the forced outcome?” If the answer isn’t a single, clean noun, you probably need to rephrase.

## Is を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる on the JLPT?

Yes — **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** is a staple of **JLPT N1** grammar lists.

<div class="jlpt-card">
  <div class="jlpt-shield">N1</div>
  <div class="jlpt-info">
    <div class="jlpt-checks">
      <div>✔ frequently appears in reading comprehension passages (formal reports, editorials)</div>
      <div>✔ tested for form selection: noun + を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる, not verb/adj</div>
      <div>✔ often contrasted with ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない or <ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくさせる in multiple-choice questions</div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

In the test, expect to see **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** embedded in a longer paragraph where you must infer the nuance — that the subject was not acting freely. A typical question might ask for the most appropriate grammar to fill a blank, with wrong choices including verb‑attached forms or the causative. Recognizing that the context describes an external force will help you pick the correct passive noun‑based pattern.

## Practice questions for を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる

<div class="prompts">

<div class="prompt">
  <div class="prompt-num">1</div>
  <div class="prompt-text">Write a sentence using を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる about a company that was forced to recall a defective product after a safety scandal came to light. Use <ruby>回収<rt>かいしゅう</rt></ruby> (recall) as the noun.</div>
  <div class="prompt-tag">business / crisis</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
  <div class="prompt-num">2</div>
  <div class="prompt-text">Imagine a small town whose spring festival was cancelled because of an earthquake warning. Write the official announcement using を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる.</div>
  <div class="prompt-tag">natural disaster / formal notice</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
  <div class="prompt-num">3</div>
  <div class="prompt-text">Compare the two sentences: <br> 「<ruby>地震<rt>じしん</rt></ruby>で<ruby>式<rt>しき</rt></ruby>の<ruby>中止<rt>ちゅうし</rt></ruby>を<ruby>余儀<rt>よぎ</rt></ruby>なくされた。」<br> 「<ruby>地震<rt>じしん</rt></ruby>で<ruby>式<rt>しき</rt></ruby>を<ruby>中止<rt>ちゅうし</rt></ruby>せざるを<ruby>得<rt>え</rt></ruby>なかった。」<br> Explain why the first sounds more natural for an official report.</div>
  <div class="prompt-tag">nuance / register</div>
</div>

<div class="prompt">
  <div class="prompt-num">4</div>
  <div class="prompt-text">A school trip had to be postponed because of a sudden outbreak of flu among students. Write a notice using を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる with the noun <ruby>延期<rt>えんき</rt></ruby>.</div>
  <div class="prompt-tag">education / unforeseen event</div>
</div>

</div>

Write your answers out fully. Then read them aloud — the formality of を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる should come through in the rhythm of the sentence.

## Learning path for を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる

<div class="path">

<div class="path-step">
  <div class="step-num">1</div>
  <div class="step-body"><strong>Memorise the shape.</strong> Close your eyes and say “Noun + を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる.” Write it five times. Internalise that the word before must be a noun outcome.</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
  <div class="step-num">2</div>
  <div class="step-body"><strong>Read formal news snippets.</strong> Find a few NHK or newspaper articles using を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる. Notice how they always pair it with an external cause (により、で、を<ruby>受け<rp>(</rp><rt>うけ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て).</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
  <div class="step-num">3</div>
  <div class="step-body"><strong>Compare actively.</strong> Take one event — say, a concert cancelled due to a typhoon — and write three versions: を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされた, ざるを<ruby>得<rp>(</rp><rt>え</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なかった, and なければならなかった. Feel the shift in responsibility and formality.</div>
</div>

<div class="path-step">
  <div class="step-num">4</div>
  <div class="step-body"><strong>Apply in a mock report.</strong> Choose a work or school scenario (factory halts production, department cuts budget) and write a short formal paragraph using を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる. Read it as if you were briefing a manager.</div>
</div>

</div>

This path moves from mechanical recognition to active, context-sensitive use — the difference between getting the answer right on a JLPT question and actually thinking in Japanese.

## Related grammar to review next

- [を<ruby>踏まえ<rp>(</rp><rt>ふまえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-fumaete/) — because it also appears in formal, cause‑and‑result chains based on circumstances
- [を<ruby>経<rp>(</rp><rt>へ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-hete/) — because it describes processes that unfold due to external timelines
- [を<ruby>控え<rp>(</rp><rt>ひかえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-hikaete/) — because it deals with being on the verge of an event that imposes pressure
- [をいいことに](/blog/n1-o-ii-koto-ni/) — because it involves taking advantage of a situation, which is a different twist on external circumstances

These patterns all sit in the same formal, written register as **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる**. Reviewing them together will sharpen your sense of how Japanese expresses causality, timing, and external pressure.

## Learn を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる with Hane

If you want to review **を<ruby>余儀<rp>(</rp><rt>よぎ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なくされる** and the related patterns above in targeted practice sessions, Hane helps you study Japanese in short, focused bursts — perfect for locking in formal N1 grammar.

Browse more lessons here:
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