てしょうがない

1. 1An emotion or sensation, such as frustration, worry, or heat, is so intense it is hard to bear.Ex. 1
2. 2With たい, an overwhelming desire to do something.Ex. 2

A conversational pattern for strong feelings, cravings, and bodily sensations such as heat, sleepiness, or pain. It is common in everyday speech and casual writing. In more formal writing, 〜てしかたがない or 〜てならない sound more natural.

• 〜てしかたがないN3「〜てしかたがない」 has basically the same meaning and grammatical formation as this pattern, and works for both psychological emotions and physical sensations, so the two are generally interchangeable. It sounds slightly more formal with a neutral register, and it can also be shortened to 「てしかたない」.
• てたまらないN2「てたまらない」 has basically the same meaning and grammatical formation as 「てしょうがない」, works for both emotions and physical sensations, and is generally interchangeable with it. The difference lies in register: it is neutral and slightly more formal than 「てしょうがない」, so it also suits occasions that are not very casual.
• てならないN2Both mean 'to an unbearable degree,' and when expressing emotions or feelings they are often interchangeable. 「てならない」 leans written and understated, appearing mostly in writing; it often attaches to spontaneous verbs like 「思われる」 and 「感じられる」 to express 'can't help but...'.
• てかなわないN1「てかなわない」 centers on things one finds tiresome and carries a stronger nuance of complaint and being unable to bear something, so it is rarely used for positive emotions. For negative feelings the two are mostly interchangeable, but for missing someone, happiness, or wishes expressed with 「たくて」, 「てしょうがない」 is the better choice.
• てやまないN3「てやまない」 is used in formal settings such as writing and speeches to express long-held sentiments like well-wishes and respect or affection. It attaches only to verbs like 「願う」 and 「祈る」 — not to adjectives — and is not used for physical sensations, so it is generally not interchangeable with 「てしょうがない」.

〜てしかたがない means the same but sounds slightly less casual, and てたまらない likewise stresses a feeling or sensation that can hardly be borne, while てならない is more written and suits feelings or thoughts that arise spontaneously (思えてならない). てかなわない is used mainly for unpleasant, annoying states (暑くてかなわない), and てやまない is a formal written expression of a lasting wish or feeling (願ってやまない).