N2 Possibility and Difficulty

~ようがない: meaning, usage and examples

~ようがない means: there's no way to... / cannot...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 説明せつめいのしようがない。

   There's no way to explain it.

2. 電話でんわ番号ばんごうを知しらないので、連絡れんらくのしようがない。

   I don't know the phone number, so there is no way to contact them.

3. ここまで壊こわれていると、直なおしようがありません。

   When it is this badly broken, there is no way to fix it.

4. これほど完璧かんぺきな作品さくひんなら、文句もんくのつけようがない。

   With a work this perfect, there is nothing to complain about.

When to use it

Says that there is no way or method to do something, so it cannot be done even if you want to. The reason is usually missing information or circumstances. For example, 住所じゅうしょが分わからないので連絡れんらくしようがない means "I don't know the address, so there's no way to contact them." It is also used for praise: 文句もんくのつけようがない ("nothing to complain about").

Nuance

Neutral register; common in both speech and writing. Often sounds resigned. ようもない is a slightly stronger variant. The cause is circumstances, not lack of ability, and the subject usually wants to act.

Compare

わけにはいかない means you cannot do something for social or moral reasons: 休やすむわけにはいかない. ようがない means there is simply no way: 連絡れんらくのしようがない. できない is plain inability, with no idea of "no method."

Tip: For a suru verb, put の before しようがない: 説明せつめいのしようがない, or use 説明せつめいしようがない. Both are correct.