entries → 不得已
TSUMUGU · TOCFL B2 (est.) · 詞
不得已 word · TOCFL B2 (est.)
不得已 ＝ 不 ＋ 得 ＋ 已
ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄜˊ ㄧˇ · bùdéyǐ
adjective — having no choice; acting only because one must, against one's wish

字源 FORM — what the parts do

不not (不是)bù
得to get, to be able (得到)dé
已to stop, already (已經)yǐhere in its older sense 'to stop, cease'
不得已，不是的不，得到的得，已經的已。

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

想停（已）也停不（不）了，只好做下去。
You cannot get（得）it to stop（已）— so you do it anyway.
記憶法
關 · Related
無奈wúnàithe helplessness behind a 不得已 choice