不得已而为之 compelled to do
Explanation
指由于客观环境或形势所迫，不得不做某事。
It means that one has to do something because of objective circumstances or pressure.
Origin Story
战国时期，一位名叫田忌的将军，在一次战役中，面对强大的齐军，形势危急，他的士兵死伤惨重，粮草也几乎耗尽。他知道，继续正面交锋，必将全军覆没。但是，如果不战，则会丢掉城池，后患无穷。在经过一番激烈的思想斗争后，田忌决定采用一种冒险的策略：他命令士兵们在夜幕的掩护下，悄无声息地撤出战场，退守另一个易守难攻的山谷。这个决定，是田忌在权衡利弊之后，不得已而为之的选择。虽然放弃了眼前的阵地，但保全了士兵的性命，为日后的反攻赢得了宝贵的时间和机会。后来，田忌凭借其卓越的军事才能，最终取得了战争的胜利。这段历史故事展现了在特定情况下，由于形势所迫，不得不采取某些看似不利的策略，以期获得更好的最终结果，这正是“不得已而为之”的深刻含义所在。
During the Warring States period, a general named Tian Ji faced a dangerous situation in a battle against a powerful Qi army. His soldiers suffered heavy casualties, and his supplies were almost exhausted. He knew that continuing a direct confrontation would lead to the annihilation of his army. However, if he didn't fight, he would lose his city, which would have dire consequences. After a fierce internal struggle, Tian Ji decided to employ a risky strategy: he ordered his soldiers to secretly withdraw from the battlefield under the cover of night and retreat to another easily defensible valley. This decision was Tian Ji’s choice, made after weighing the pros and cons. Although he abandoned his current position, he saved the lives of his soldiers and gained valuable time and opportunities for a counterattack. Later, thanks to his outstanding military ability, Tian Ji finally won the war. This historical story shows that, in certain situations, one might be forced to adopt seemingly unfavorable strategies to achieve a better outcome; this is precisely the profound meaning of “不得已而为之”.
Usage
用于说明由于客观情况所迫而不得不做某事。
It is used to explain that one had to do something because of objective circumstances.
Examples
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为了生存，他不得不为之。
wèile shēngcún, tā bùdé yǐ ér wéi zhī
For survival, he had to do it.
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形势所迫，他不得已而为之。
xíngshì suǒ pò, tā bùdé yǐ ér wéi zhī
Forced by circumstances, he had no choice but to do it