欠ける・缺ける・闕ける|かけるkakeru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
欠ける欠ける（かける） is the most common written form. It is the form learners should choose by default.
缺ける缺ける（かける） is less common than 欠ける（かける） and is an alternative mixed kanji-and-kana spelling.
闕ける闕ける（かける） is less common than 缺ける（かける） and 欠ける（かける） and is an alternative mixed kanji-and-kana spelling.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto chip; to be chipped; to break (off); to be damaged
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto be missing (from a set, team, etc.); to be absent; to become lost
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto be lacking (in); to be short (of); to be deficient; to be wanting (in)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto wane (of the moon); to go into eclipsealso 虧ける
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 欠ける（かける） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 欠けます（かけます） |
| Negative (nai) | 欠けない（かけない） |
| polite (masen) | 欠けません（かけません） |
| classical zu / nu | 欠けず・欠けぬ（かけず・かけぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 欠けた（かけた） |
| polite (mashita) | 欠けました（かけました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 欠けなかった（かけなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 欠けませんでした（かけませんでした） |
| Te form | 欠けて（かけて） |
| Potential | 欠けられる（かけられる） |
| Passive | 欠けられる（かけられる） |
| Causative | 欠けさせる（かけさせる） |
| Causative passive | 欠けさせられる（かけさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 欠ければ（かければ） |
| tara | 欠けたら（かけたら） |
| Volitional | 欠けよう（かけよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 欠けましょう（かけましょう） |
| Imperative | 欠けろ（かけろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
茶碗が欠ける
欠ける describes a thing becoming chipped or incomplete, focusing on the resulting state; 欠く describes the act of chipping or breaking off a part, focusing on the agent's action.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym欠くかくWrittenTransitive counterpart of 「欠ける」: to lack or leave something defective, as in 「常識を欠く」「冷静さを欠く」; leans written, while 「欠ける」 is intransitive.
- Related欠如けつじょFormalFormal, written noun for the absence of something that should be there, mostly with abstract qualities: 「責任感の欠如」.
- Related欠乏けつぼうFormalFormal noun for a shortage of something needed, covering both concrete and abstract: 「ビタミン欠乏」「愛情の欠乏」.
- Antonym満ちるみちるNeutralNeutral antonym: to fill or become full; the moon's waxing stands opposite the chipped, waning sense of 「欠ける」.
- Antonym揃うそろうNeutralNeutral antonym: to be complete, all present — the opposite of 「欠ける」 when a part of a set is missing.
Use 「欠ける」 for something chipped or a set missing a part. For the transitive, written 「欠く」; for missing abstract qualities, 「欠如」; for shortages of necessities, 「欠乏」. Opposites: 「揃う」, 「満ちる」.
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
