かかる

• Reading: かかる
• Romaji: kakaru
• Kanji breakdown: 掛 (kei/ka) — hang, suspend; hand radical (扌) + 卦 (divination sign)
• Pronunciation: /ka.ka.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To take (time or money); to cost; to require a certain amount of a resource.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. Most commonly written in hiragana. At the N5 level, the primary meaning is 'to take' time or money: 時間がかかる (it takes time), お金がかかる (it costs money). The kanji form 掛かる exists but is rarely used for this meaning. Forms a pair with かける.

Examples

1. 駅まで歩いて十分かかります。 It takes ten minutes to walk to the station.
2. この工事は三か月かかるそうです。 I heard this construction will take three months.
3. 修理にいくらかかりましたか。 How much did the repair cost?

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, travel, shopping

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Written in kanji as 掛かる, combining the hand radical (扌) with 卦 (divination sign). The original meaning of hanging or suspending extended metaphorically to the idea of something weighing on you — like time or cost.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal