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かかる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

かかる

か

か

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 500

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

take time; cost money; require a resource

usually written using kana alone

Used with time, money, effort, and similar resources: the resource is marked with が or the activity with に.

See also: 時間がかかる

駅えきまで歩あるいて三さん十じゅっ分ぷんかかる。
It takes thirty minutes to walk to the station.

修しゅう理りにはかなりお金かねがかかった。

The repairs cost quite a lot of money.

2

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

hang; be hanging

usually written using kana alone

Describes something being suspended, hung on a surface, or placed so that it hangs there.

壁かべに大おおきな時計とけいがかかっている。
A large clock is hanging on the wall.

3

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be locked; be fastened

usually written using kana alone

Common with 鍵: 鍵がかかる means a lock is engaged or a door is locked.

See also: 鍵がかかる

玄げん関かんの鍵かぎがかかっているか確かく認にんした。
I checked whether the front door was locked.

4

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

get a phone call; receive a call

usually written using kana alone

Used with 電話 as the subject: 電話がかかる means a call comes in.

See also: 電話が掛かる

夜よる遅おそくに母ははから電でん話わがかかってきた。
A call came from my mother late at night.

5

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Used for engines, motors, and similar machines beginning to run; the machine is the subject.

寒さむい朝あさは車くるまのエンジンがなかなかかからない。
On cold mornings, the car engine does not start easily.

6

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be caught in; fall into

usually written using kana alone

Used for being caught in a trap, net, trick, or scheme; often appears as 罠にかかる.

See also: 罠にかかる

魚さかなが網あみにかかった。
A fish got caught in the net.
彼かれは詐さ欺ぎにかかって大たい金きんを失うしなった。
He fell for a scam and lost a large amount of money.

7

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

depend on; hinge on

usually written using kana alone

Often used as ～にかかっている to say that the outcome depends on a condition, person, or effort.

試し合あいの結けっ果かは最さい後ごの一いっ点てんにかかっている。
The result of the match depends on the final point.

8

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

begin a task; set about; get down to

usually written using kana alone

Usually ～にかかる, with the task marked by に, as in 仕事にかかる.

休きゅう憩けいが終おわったら、すぐ仕し事ごとにかかろう。
Once the break is over, let's get right to work.

9

godan verb (-ru), auxiliary verb

be starting to; be on the verge of

usually written using kana alone

Auxiliary use after a verb stem, as in 崩れかかる or 死にかかる, meaning that an action or state has begun or is about to happen.

古ふるい橋はしが崩くずれかかっている。
The old bridge is starting to collapse.
外そとはもう日ひが暮くれかかっていた。
Outside, the sun was already beginning to set.

10

godan verb (-ru), auxiliary verb

come at; move toward; fall upon

usually written using kana alone

Auxiliary or compound-verb use where an action is directed toward someone or something, as in 飛びかかる and 降りかかる.

犬いぬが急きゅうに飛とびかかってきた。
The dog suddenly leapt at me.
思おもいがけない災さい難なんが彼かれに降ふりかかった。
An unexpected misfortune befell him.

11

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be covered; have something over it

usually written using kana alone

Used when a cloth, dust, snow, or similar covering lies over or rests on something.

テーブルに白しろい布ぬのがかかっている。
A white cloth is covering the table.
古ふるい本ほんにはほこりがかかっていた。
The old books were covered with dust.

12

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be subject to; come under; be charged

usually written using kana alone

Used for taxes, fees, rules, contracts, and similar obligations applying to something.

この商しょう品ひんには消しょう費ひ税ぜいがかかる。
Consumption tax applies to this product.

13

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be attended by; be dealt with by; consult

usually written using kana alone

Often used of being seen or treated by a doctor, as in 医者にかかる; more generally it can mean that someone handles or deals with a case.

熱ねつが下さがらないので医い者しゃにかかった。
I saw a doctor because my fever would not go down.

14

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

come into view; be seen; meet

usually written using kana alone

The broad sense of coming into sight is limited in modern use; the important learner phrase is お目にかかる, a humble expression meaning to meet someone.

See also: お目にかかる

初はじめてお目めにかかります。
I am pleased to meet you.

15

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

overlap; extend over; cover

usually written using kana alone

Used for a range or piece of information extending over or covering another section; for simple duplication, other verbs such as かぶる or 重なる may be more common.

この説せつ明めいは次つぎのページにかかっている。
This explanation extends onto the next page.

Written forms

かかるUsage93%
The senses are usually written in kana. This spelling is very common across the many everyday meanings.
掛かかるUsage6%
Standard kanji spelling also widely encountered, especially for concrete senses such as hanging, fastening, starting an engine, and receiving a phone call.
掛かかるUsage<1%
Less common okurigana variant of 掛かる.
懸かかるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare okurigana variant of 懸かる.
懸かかるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form. It may be seen in more formal or literary contexts, especially where something hangs, depends, or is at stake.

Kanji

掛hang, suspend, depend
懸state of suspension, hang, depend

Similar words

掛かける
The common transitive counterpart: 掛ける means to hang, attach, set, spend, or make something happen, while かかる describes the intransitive state or event.
要ようする
More formal than かかる when saying that time, money, or effort is required.
かぶる
Often clearer for overlap or duplication, whereas かかる in that sense can describe something extending over a range or section.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb. The historical derivation is uncertain here; the kanji 掛 is conventionally associated with hanging or attaching, while 懸 is associated with suspension, dependence, or something being at stake.