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

"かける" means "to make a phone call; to hang; to wear (glasses)" (N5), whereas "駆ける" represents "to run (quickly), to gallop, to dash" (N2).

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)

N2 / 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」.
駆ける (Level: N2): Maps to "to run (quickly), to gallop, to dash" and carries the nuance of Implies running quickly or at a full dash, often with a sense of urgency or speed. More dynamic and emphasizes speed compared to 走る.

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 "駆ける"

遅刻しそうだったので、駅まで全速力で駆けた。

I was about to be late, so I dashed to the station at full speed.

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.".