1.
(no) way, method, means (with negative)
A way or method of doing something. In modern Japanese this sense survives almost only in negative expressions: 仕様がない (it can't be helped) and …の仕様がない (there is no way to do …).
2.
specifications
Detailed description of requirements, dimensions, or features (technical).
仕様 has two main uses:
1. WAY/METHOD (only with negatives):
- 仕様がない: it can't be helped, there's no way — often contracted to しょうがない in speech
- 返事の仕様がない: there is no way to reply (…の仕様がない = no way to do …)
- どうしようもない: there's nothing to be done (related expression)
- After a verb stem, 〜ようがない (e.g. 直しようがない: there's no way to fix it) uses the suffix よう (様), not 仕様.
2. SPECIFICATIONS (technical):
Note: This is a homophone with 私用 (personal use) and 使用 (use).