What is the difference between "かける" and "掛ける"?

"かける" means "to make a phone call; to hang; to wear (glasses)" (N5), whereas "掛ける" represents "to hang, to put on (glasses), to make (a call)" (N4).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "かける (kakeru)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

かける (kakeru)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

かける (kakeru)

N4 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "かける (kakeru)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

かける (Level: N5): Translates to "to make a phone call; to hang; to wear (glasses)" and is used when This verb has multiple meanings. For N5, common usages include 「電話をかける」.
掛ける (Level: N4): Maps to "to hang, to put on (glasses), to make (a call)" and carries the nuance of A versatile verb with many uses. Common meanings include 'to wear'.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "かける"

友達に電話をかけます。

I will make a phone call to my friend.

Bilingual Context for "掛ける"

毎日、眼鏡を掛けて新聞を読みます。

Every day, I put on my glasses and read the newspaper.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "友達に電話をかけます。" (Meaning: "I will make a phone call to my friend.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "かける" is used for "to make a phone call; to hang; to wear (glasses)" in the context: "I will make a phone call to my friend.".