Meaning

Primary

To Be Involved

Alternatives

To Be Related, To Be Connected

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

You know that the kanji means connection. This is a verb, so one meaning is to be connected. It can also mean to be involved and to be related. Basically things that have to do with being connected with something else.

Does this all sound familiar? In fact, this is another way to write 関わる, which you already learned! The two have exactly the same meaning, but this version is a bit less common.

Reading

かかわる
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. It's exactly the same as the reading for 関わる, so here's a reminder of that mnemonic to help you:

Remember the "Kaw Kaw (かか) Crow Gang"? They are bad news, always eating from garbage and squawking "kaw kaw"... You don't want to be involved with them.

Context

Pattern of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 命に係わる

    to be life threatening, to be a matter of life or death

    プロジェクトに係わる

    to be personally involved with a project, to have to do with a project

    問題に係わる

    to have to do with an issue

Context Sentences

ビエトがやばいそしきと係わっているのは知っているけど、そのはんざいに係わっていたとはやっぱり思えないんだよな。

I know Viet is involved with a dangerous organization, but I still don't think that he has anything to do with the crime.

あのれん中には係わらない方がいいよ。

Don't get involved with people like that.

もし毒抜きをせずに河豚を食べたら、命に係わりますよ。

If you ate blowfish without taking the poison out, it would be a matter of life and death.

Kanji Composition