Common word› JLPT N1 › Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation 欠く · godan verb (-ku)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 欠か く 欠か かない Polite 欠か きます 欠か きません Past polite 欠か きました 欠か きませんでした Past 欠か いた 欠か かなかった Te-form 欠か いて 欠か かないで Desire 欠か きたい 欠か きたくない Potential 欠か ける 欠か けない Passive 欠か かれる 欠か かれない Causative 欠か かせる 欠か かせない Causative passive 欠か かせられる also 欠か かされる 欠か かせられない also 欠か かされない Volitional 欠か こう Polite volitional 欠か きましょう Imperative 欠か け 欠か くな Conditional 欠か けば 欠か かなければ Tara conditional 欠か いたら 欠か かなかったら
Pairs with 欠ける › Expressions· 7 礼れい を 欠か く be impolite; lack manners; be discourteous 義ぎ 理り を 欠か く fail in one's social duties; neglect one's obligations 決き め 手て を 欠か く lack a decisive factor; lack conclusive evidence; lack a trump card 欠か くべからざる indispensable; essential; necessary 画が 竜りょう 点てん 睛せい を 欠か く to lack the finishing touch; to be incomplete despite near perfection Show 2 more Show fewer 欠か くことができない indispensable; essential; cannot do without Transitive / intransitive Related words 欠乏する is a more clinical term for a shortage of concrete resources like food or vitamins, while 欠く is broader and often used for abstract qualities such as manners or judgment.
欠く means to lack or be short of something needed, while 切らす specifically emphasizes that a stock or supply has become completely exhausted.
Don't confuse with 書く (to write) shares the same reading かく with 欠く (to chip/lack) but is a completely different verb written with a different kanji.
描く (to draw/paint) is often read かく in casual speech and can be confused with 欠く (to chip/lack) despite meaning something entirely different.
掻く (to scratch) shares the reading かく with 欠く (to chip/lack) but refers to scratching an itch, not damaging or lacking something.
欠く means 'to lack' or 'to be missing something,' focusing on the absence of a quality, while 欠かす is about failing to perform a habitual action or going without something and is almost always used in the negative.
Word family· 7 lack; be short of; be without
cutout; notch
halving joint; scarf joint
cut out; notch
break off; knock off · create a false eye by sacrificing a stone (go)
Show 2 more Show fewer Written forms 欠か く Usage 100%
Standard kanji spelling for both senses.
闕か く Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
Etymology The kanji 欠 originally depicts a person with an open mouth, suggesting something missing or lacking. The verb 欠く has been used since Old Japanese with the core meaning of 'to be insufficient' or 'to break off a part'.
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