にかかっている

The expression にかかっている means "to depend on" or "to hinge on." It is used to express that the outcome, success, or result of something rests entirely on a particular factor, person, or condition. It conveys a strong sense that the referenced factor is the decisive element.

The subject (what depends) is marked with は, and the decisive factor is marked with に.

With かどうか (whether or not)

A very common pattern pairs にかかっている with かどうか to express that something depends on whether or not a certain condition is met.

With interrogative clauses

にかかっている also frequently appears with indirect question clauses using interrogative words like どう, なん何, いつ.

Nuance

This expression carries a relatively serious or weighty tone. It implies that the factor mentioned is critical or decisive – not just one of many contributing elements. Because of this, it is commonly found in formal writing, speeches, news articles, and dramatic contexts. It is less common for trivial everyday matters.

The form にかかっている uses the ～ている state of the verb かかる, which in this usage means "to rest upon" or "to be contingent upon." The polite form にかかっています is also common.