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

"欠ける" means "to be chipped, to be broken, to lack, to be missing" (N3), 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)

N3 / 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.

欠ける (Level: N3): Translates to "to be chipped, to be broken, to lack, to be missing" and is used when Intransitive verb. Indicates that a part of something is gone, missing, or that something is incomplete..
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 "欠ける"

このコップは縁が少し欠けている。

The rim of this glass is slightly chipped.

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: "このコップは縁が少し欠けている。" (Meaning: "The rim of this glass is slightly chipped.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "欠ける" is used for "to be chipped, to be broken, to lack, to be missing" in the context: "The rim of this glass is slightly chipped.".