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JLPT N2Expressions

にかかわる— To Concern / A Matter Of

Indicates that something is deeply connected to, affects, or is a critical matter of the preceding noun. It often attaches to weighty nouns such as 命 (life), 名誉 (honor), or 信用 (trust), stressing that the outcome could seriously harm them. Translated as 'to be a matter of', 'to concern', or 'to affect'.

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Pro lessonUNIT 46 · EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Noun] + にかかわる

Examples · 例文

  • これは会社の信用にかかわる問題だ。

    Kore wa kaisha no shin'you ni kakawaru mondai da.

    This is a problem that affects the company's credibility.

    信用にかかわる modifies 問題, marking it as critical to the company's trust.

  • 無理な運転は命にかかわる。

    Muri na unten wa inochi ni kakawaru.

    Reckless driving can be a matter of life and death.

    命にかかわる = 'affects/endangers life'; stresses grave consequences.

  • その発言は彼の名誉にかかわる。

    Sono hatsugen wa kare no meiyo ni kakawaru.

    That statement affects his honor.

    名誉にかかわる shows the remark could seriously damage his reputation.

Usage notes · 注意

  • Typically pairs with serious nouns: 命, 名誉, 信用, 評判, 将来.
  • Implies a significant, often negative, impact.
  • Register: formal to neutral; common in news and business.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones にかかわる is tested against.

vsに関する／に関して

に関する simply means 'regarding / about' a topic neutrally; にかかわる implies the thing critically affects or endangers something important.

vsに関わらず (にかかわらず)

Despite the similar kanji, にかかわらず means 'regardless of'; にかかわる means 'to critically concern/affect'.

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