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かける Japanese meaning | Kotomora

かける

か

け

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

hang up; suspend; hoist

usually written using kana alone

Used when something is hung from, on, or over a support, including coats, pictures, sails, and flags.

See also: 壁にかける

コートをハンガーにかける。
I hang the coat on a hanger.

船ふねは帆ほをかけて走はしり出だした。

The boat hoisted its sail and set off.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

cover with; put over; spread over

usually written using kana alone

Used for putting something like a blanket, cloth, or cover over a person or object.

寒さむそうだったので、子こどもに毛もう布ふをかけた。
The child looked cold, so I put a blanket over them.
テーブルに白しろい布ぬのをかける。
I spread a white cloth over the table.

3

ichidan verb, transitive verb

put on glasses; wear on the body

usually written using kana alone

Especially common with 眼鏡をかける. It can also describe something hanging from the body, such as around the neck.

See also: 眼鏡を掛ける

授じゅ業ぎょう中ちゅうは眼鏡めがねをかける。
I wear glasses during class.

4

ichidan verb, transitive verb

make a phone call; call

usually written using kana alone

Fixed everyday collocation: 電話をかける, meaning to place or make a telephone call.

See also: 電話を掛ける

あとで母ははに電でん話わをかける。
I will call my mother later.

5

ichidan verb, transitive verb

spend; expend; use up

usually written using kana alone

Used with time, money, effort, and similar resources: 時間をかける, お金をかける, 手間をかける.

See also: 時間を掛ける

この研けん究きゅうに三さん年ねんをかけた。
I spent three years on this research.
あまりお金かねをかけずに部屋へやを直なおした。
I fixed up the room without spending much money.

6

ichidan verb, transitive verb

pour onto; sprinkle onto; splash onto

usually written using kana alone

Used when putting liquid, sauce, powder, seasoning, or water onto a surface or food.

See also: 塩をかける

サラダにドレッシングをかける。
I pour dressing on the salad.
スープにこしょうを少すこしかけた。
I sprinkled a little pepper on the soup.

7

ichidan verb, transitive verb

turn on; set; play; use

usually written using kana alone

Used with engines, alarms, music, devices, and tools: エンジンをかける, 目覚ましをかける, 音楽をかける.

車くるまのエンジンをかける。
I start the car engine.
明日あしたは早はやいので、目め覚ざましを六ろく時じにかけた。
I have to get up early tomorrow, so I set the alarm for six.
店てん内ないでは静しずかな音おん楽がくをかけている。
They play quiet music inside the shop.

8

ichidan verb, transitive verb

cause trouble; burden; impose on

usually written using kana alone

Common in apology and concern expressions such as 迷惑をかける and 負担をかける.

See also: 迷惑を掛ける

ご迷めい惑わくをかけてすみません。
I'm sorry for causing you trouble.
家か族ぞくに負ふ担たんをかけたくない。
I don't want to burden my family.

9

ichidan verb, transitive verb

usually written using kana alonemathematics

Mathematical use for multiplication, typically in the pattern AにBをかける.

三さんに四しをかけると十じゅう二にになる。
Three multiplied by four is twelve.

10

ichidan verb, transitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Most common with 鍵をかける, meaning to lock a door, drawer, bicycle, and so on.

See also: 鍵を掛ける

出でかける前まえに玄げん関かんの鍵かぎをかけてください。
Please lock the front door before you go out.

11

ichidan verb, transitive verb

sit down; rest on; support on

usually written using kana alone

The fixed expression 腰をかける, 'to sit down,' and uses where something is rested or supported against something else are also used.

See also: 腰を掛ける

どうぞこちらに腰こしをかけてください。
Please have a seat here.
はしごを壁かべにかける。
I rest the ladder against the wall.

12

ichidan verb, transitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 繋ける

Old or limited use meaning to bind or tether; the spelling 繋ける. Modern Japanese normally uses words such as つなぐ or 縛る instead.

古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、「馬うまを木きにかける」が「馬うまをつなぐ」という意い味みで使つかわれることがある。
In old writing, 馬を木にかける can mean 'to tether a horse to a tree.'

13

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bet; wager; risk; stake

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 懸ける

Used for betting money or staking something important. 懸ける is common for life, hopes, or major commitment; the separate spelling 賭ける is especially associated with gambling and betting.

See also: 賭ける (かける)

彼かれは全ぜん財ざい産さんをその試し合あいにかけた。
He bet his entire fortune on that match.
消しょう防ぼう士しは命いのちをかけて子こどもを救すくった。
The firefighter risked his life to save the child.

14

ichidan verb, transitive verb

put under an effect; cast; administer

usually written using kana alone

Used with effects applied to someone or something, such as 麻酔をかける, 魔法をかける, or 催眠術をかける.

手しゅ術じゅつの前まえに麻ま酔すいをかける。
They administer anesthesia before the operation.
魔ま女じょは王おう子じに魔ま法ほうをかけた。
The witch cast a spell on the prince.

15

ichidan verb, transitive verb

put on a performance; hold an event

usually written using kana alone

Less common in modern everyday speech; modern Japanese more often uses 上演する, 開く, or 催す depending on the event.

古ふるい言いい方かたでは、「芝しば居いをかける」は芝しば居いを上じょう演えんする意い味みになる。
In older usage, 芝居をかける means to put on a play.

16

ichidan verb, transitive verb

place hopes in; feel pity for; direct an emotion toward

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 懸ける

Used with emotion or attitude nouns such as 期待, 望み, 情け, or 哀れみ; 懸ける may be used for hopes or commitment.

新あたらしい計けい画かくに期き待たいをかけている。
I am placing my hopes in the new plan.
彼かの女じょはその子こに深ふかい情なさけをかけた。
She showed deep compassion for the child.

17

ichidan verb, transitive verb

put before a court; submit for discussion; bring up for deliberation

usually written using kana alone

Used for putting a person, case, plan, or issue before a court, meeting, vote, or conference: 裁判にかける, 会議にかける.

See also: 裁判に掛ける

その案あんを次つぎの会かい議ぎにかける。
We will put that proposal before the next meeting.
容よう疑ぎ者しゃは裁さい判ばんにかけられた。
The suspect was put on trial.

18

ichidan verb, transitive verb

intensify; accelerate; increase further

usually written using kana alone

Often appears in set expressions such as 拍車をかける or 輪をかける, meaning to make an existing tendency stronger.

彼かれの一ひと言ことが不ふ安あんに拍はく車しゃをかけた。
His remark intensified the anxiety.

19

ichidan verb, transitive verb

catch in a trap; catch in a net

usually written using kana alone

Used when prey, fish, or a target is caught by a trap, net, or similar device.

漁りょう師しは魚さかなを網あみにかけた。
The fisherman caught the fish in a net.

20

ichidan verb, transitive verb

set on top; put on heat

usually written using kana alone

Common with cooking or heating expressions such as 鍋を火にかける and やかんを火にかける, meaning to put something over a flame or on the stove.

やかんを火ひにかける。
I put the kettle on the stove.

21

ichidan verb, transitive verb

erect a temporary structure

usually written using kana alone

Rare or old-fashioned use for putting up a makeshift building; modern Japanese normally uses 建てる or 設ける depending on context.

「仮かり小屋ごやをかける」という古ふるい言いい方かたは、仮かりの建たて物ものを建たてる意い味みで使つかわれる。
The old expression 仮小屋をかける means to put up a temporary building.

22

ichidan verb, transitive verb

take out insurance; insure

usually written using kana alone

Fixed practical collocation: 保険をかける, meaning to apply insurance to someone or something.

See also: 保険を掛ける

家いえに火か災さい保ほ険けんをかける。
I take out fire insurance on the house.

23

ichidan verb, transitive verb

pun on; use as a pivot word; play on words

usually written using kana alone

Literary and rhetorical use, especially with 掛詞 in classical poetry, but also understandable as playing on two meanings of a word.

See also: 掛詞

この和わ歌かでは「まつ」に二ふたつの意い味みをかけている。
In this waka, the poet plays on two meanings of matsu.

24

suffix, ichidan verb

start to; be in the middle of; be about to

usually written using kana alone

Suffix after the masu-stem of a verb, as in 読みかける or 開けかける. It often implies the action began but was not completed, or was just about to happen.

See also: 話し掛ける · 治りかける

読よみかけた本ほんが机つくえに置おいてある。
A book I had started reading is on the desk.
ドアを開あけかけて、急きゅうに手てを止とめた。
I started to open the door, then suddenly stopped.

25

suffix, ichidan verb

direct an action toward someone; address; call out to

usually written using kana alone

Suffix after the masu-stem of a verb showing that the action is directed at someone, as in 話しかける or 呼びかける.

See also: 話し掛ける

駅えきで知しらない人ひとに話はなしかけられた。
A stranger spoke to me at the station.
彼かれは子こどもたちに優やさしく呼よびかけた。
He gently called out to the children.

Written forms

かけるUsage92%
Kana is very practical for this highly polysemous verb, and Its senses are usually written in kana.
掛かけるUsage8%
Broad common kanji spelling, especially for hanging, spending, locking, calling, applying, and many set expressions; kana is often safer when the intended kanji is not important.
懸かけるUsage1%
Used especially for staking or committing something important, such as life, hopes, or a major risk; not used for ordinary meanings such as making a phone call or putting on glasses.
繋かける
This spelling for the old sense 'to bind/tether'; it is not a normal modern spelling.

Kanji

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

Similar words

掛かかる
The intransitive counterpart in many uses: 鍵が掛かる means 'the lock is engaged,' while 鍵をかける means 'to lock it.'
付つける
Also means 'put on' or 'attach,' but かける is used for hanging, covering, calling, spending, applying effects, and many fixed expressions.
賭かける
A separate spelling focused on betting or gambling; this word's かける also covers broader 'risk/stake' uses.
架かける
A separate kanji spelling used for spanning or building across a gap, such as bridges; not the general kana-marked verb covered here.

Etymology

A native Japanese verb with many extended and idiomatic uses. The kanji spellings 掛ける and 懸ける are conventional meaning-based spellings for different ranges of usage; the exact historical development of every sense is uncertain.