Explore 欠 through absence and things that are missing. Learn each reading with a complete word.

The idea

欠 has four strokes; follow the linked diagram. 欠ける is read かける, 欠席 is けっせき and 不可欠 is ふかけつ.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
欠けるかけるto lack; to be chipped
欠席けっせきabsence
不可欠ふかけつindispensable

Examples

  • 私わたしには経験けいけんが欠かけています。I lack experience.
  • 彼かれは会議かいぎを欠席けっせきしました。He was absent from the meeting.
  • カップの縁ふちが欠かけています。The cup has a chipped rim.
  • 水みずは命いのちに不可欠ふかけつです。Water is essential to life.
  • この店みせは人手ひとでが不足ふそくしています。There is a shortage of staff at this shop.
  • 月つきがだんだん欠かけていきます。The moon is gradually waning.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

欠席 means absence from an event; 欠ける can describe a missing part or a lack. 不可欠 means indispensable, not lacking.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 欠席 in hiragana.

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    けっせき

    欠席 is けっせき: it means absence, as from a meeting.

  2. Write the reading of 欠ける in hiragana.

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    かける

    欠ける is かける; it can describe a chipped cup.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 不可＿（ふかけつ）［欠／次］.

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    欠

    欠 completes 不可欠, ふかけつ, meaning indispensable.

Use it today

Write 欠 using the diagram, then cover the table and read 欠席 and 欠ける. Make a sentence with one.