欠く・闕く|かくkaku[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
欠くFor beginners, 欠く（かく） is the more common written form and the form to choose when writing this verb.
闕く闕く（かく） is a rarely used written variant of 欠く（かく）; learners will seldom need to choose it.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto chip; to nick; to break; to crack
- godan verb, transitive verbto lack
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 欠く（かく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 欠きます（かきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 欠かない（かかない） |
| polite (masen) | 欠きません（かきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 欠かず・欠かぬ（かかず・かかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 欠いた（かいた） |
| polite (mashita) | 欠きました（かきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 欠かなかった（かかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 欠きませんでした（かきませんでした） |
| Te form | 欠いて（かいて） |
| Potential | 欠ける（かける） |
| Passive | 欠かれる（かかれる） |
| Causative | 欠かせる（かかせる） |
| Causative passive | 欠かせられる・欠かされる（かかせられる・かかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 欠けば（かけば） |
| tara | 欠いたら（かいたら） |
| Volitional | 欠こう（かこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 欠きましょう（かきましょう） |
| Imperative | 欠け（かけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
茶碗を欠く
欠ける presents the chipping as something that happens to the teacup (the subject), whereas 欠く highlights the action of chipping it, typically by an agent.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym欠けるかけるNeutralIntransitive: something chips, breaks off, or is missing from a set. 「欠く」 is transitive and stresses lacking something essential, as in 「常識を欠く」.
- Antonym備わるそなわるWrittenWritten/formal prose: to be furnished with or endowed with what is needed — the direct opposite of 「欠く」's sense of lacking.
- Antonym満たすみたすNeutralNeutral antonym: to satisfy or meet conditions and demands, the reverse of 「欠く」's lacking something necessary.
Use 「欠く」 for lacking something necessary or for chipping, as in 「礼を欠く」「冷静さを欠く」. For the intransitive, say 「欠ける」; for 'indispensable', 「欠かせない」 (from 「欠かす」); for being equipped, 「備わる」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
