関わる・係わる・拘る|かかわるkakawaru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
関わる関わる（かかわる） is the most common and standard written form. Beginners should use it when expressing involvement, participation, or concern in their own Japanese.
係わる係わる（かかわる） is less common than 関わる（かかわる） and serves as an alternative written form. Learners should normally choose 関わる（かかわる） instead.
拘る拘る（かかわる） is less common than 関わる（かかわる） and is another written form. Learners should normally use 関わる（かかわる） instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto be involved (in); to get involved (in); to concern oneself (with); to take part (in); to interfere (in)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto relate to (a matter); to pertain to; to concern; to have to do with
- godan verb, intransitive verbto (seriously) affect; to concern; to have a serious bearing (on)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto stick (to); to adhere (to); to be particular (about)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 関わる（かかわる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 関わります（かかわります） |
| Negative (nai) | 関わらない（かかわらない） |
| polite (masen) | 関わりません（かかわりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 関わらず・関わらぬ（かかわらず・かかわらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 関わった（かかわった） |
| polite (mashita) | 関わりました（かかわりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 関わらなかった（かかわらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 関わりませんでした（かかわりませんでした） |
| Te form | 関わって（かかわって） |
| Potential | 関われる（かかわれる） |
| Passive | 関わられる（かかわられる） |
| Causative | 関わらせる（かかわらせる） |
| Causative passive | 関わらせられる・関わらされる（かかわらせられる・かかわらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 関われば（かかわれば） |
| tara | 関わったら（かかわったら） |
| Volitional | 関わろう（かかわろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 関わりましょう（かかわりましょう） |
| Imperative | 関われ（かかわれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related働きかけるはたらきかけるNeutralNeutral: to actively work on or press someone, as in 「政府に働きかける」; stresses taking the initiative, not merely being involved.
- Related影響えいきょうNeutralNeutral: to have an effect on something, as in 「影響を与える」; focuses on the change produced in the other thing, not involvement itself.
- Related関係かんけいNeutralNeutral noun and suru verb for a relation or connection, as in 「関係者」; 「関わる」 is a native verb, typically for taking part in or being caught up in something.
- Related関連かんれんNeutralNeutral: mutual relevance or connection, as in 「関連ニュース」; stresses the link between things rather than one's involvement in them.
- Related左右さゆうNeutralNeutral: to sway or dictate an outcome, as in 「運命を左右する」; the degree of influence is far stronger than mere involvement.
- Related感化かんかWrittenWritten/formal prose: to shape someone's thinking or behavior, for better or worse, as in 「悪友に感化される」; stresses gradual, subtle influence.
- Related及ぼすおよぼすNeutralNeutral transitive verb: to exert influence that reaches something, as in 「悪影響を及ぼす」; takes the effect as its object.
- Related関するかんするNeutralNeutral: to concern or be about something; usually in the form 「～に関する」, marking the topic or scope rather than involvement.
- Related相関そうかんWrittenWritten/formal prose: a close mutual relationship between two things, also used for statistical correlation; academic in tone, not everyday talk of involvement.
- RelatedつながるNeutralNeutral: to be connected or linked up, as in 「事件が繋がる」; stresses the joining or tie between things, physical or abstract.
- Related結びつけるむすびつけるNeutralNeutral transitive verb: to link two things together, as in 「原因と結果を結びつける」; you actively make the connection.
- Related作用さようNeutralNeutral: to act or take effect, as in 「副作用」; leans scientific or technical, describing how something operates.
- Related係るかかるWrittenWritten/formal prose: to be the work of, or to concern; mostly in official-document phrasing like 「～に係る」.
- RelatedつなげるNeutralNeutral transitive verb: to connect or link, as in 「電話を繋げる」; you actively join things, whether physically or more abstractly, rather than being involved in a matter.
- Related結び合わせるむすびあわせるWrittenWritten/formal prose: to tie together or correlate; leans written and is rarely used in modern Japanese.
- Antonym無関係むかんけいNeutralNeutral antonym: having no relation whatsoever; the direct opposite of being involved or concerned with something.
- Antonym関係ないかんけいないCasualColloquial antonym: unrelated or none of one's concern; the everyday spoken opposite of 「関わる」.
Use 「関わる」 for taking part in or being drawn into something, as in 「事件に関わる」, and for bearing on something vital, as in 「命に関わる」 (a matter of life and death). For links between things, choose 「関係」 or 「関連」; for a topic, 「～に関する」; for an effect produced, 「影響」 or 「及ぼす」. 「左右」 is decisive influence, 「感化」 changing someone, 「働きかける」 pressing someone; 「繋がる」「繋げる」「結びつける」 are for connecting. 「相関」「係る」「結び合わせる」 suit formal prose. To deny a link, say 「関係ない」 (colloquial) or 「無関係」.
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
