The dialog in [this PDF
document](https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/update/pdf/le10_en_t.pdf) has the word
はかります but when I search the word in romaji, only 測ります ([and some other
variations](https://www.tanoshiijapanese.com/dictionary/entry_details.cfm?entry_id=57977&element_id=76625&conjugation_type_id=5)),
show up in the results. Why is it that the kanji word 測 is written like はか for
that particular example?
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kanji verbs hiragana
Why is 測 written in hiragana sometimes?
There is no requirement to write words in kanji. A sentence written entirely
in hiragana would still be valid (if somewhat hideous to read).

Your PDF is clearly beginner level learning material. I would guess that the
writers of the material decided that the kanji for 測る was too advanced to
learn at that level. According to [this site](https://kanjicards.org/kanji-
list-by-grade.html) this kanji isn't learnt by school children until grade 5.
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2020-11-26T15:58:57.057
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Notice also that "imasu" was not written "居ます" and "sumimasen" was not written
"[済みません](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%B8%88%E3%81%BF%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93#Japanese)"

Many words have kanji, but that doesn't mean the kanji needs to be always
used. In this case, the reason is likely because the sentence comes from the
PDF file that you gave us, which is for English-speaking people that are
trying to learn Japanese, so the use of kanji is intentionally restricted.
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2020-11-27T03:58:19.783
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I'm a native Japanese speaker. There's no right or wrong in choosing between
hiragana and kanji really. But there are general guidelines, and the correct
choice can lead to clearer sentences and dramatic effects.

Many words in Japanese _actually_ have a way of writing using kanji that's not
used that much in everyday usage.

Many greetings are like this:

ありがとうございます = 有難う御座います

こんにちは = 今日は

さようなら = 左様なら

Many frequently used words also tend to have kanji:

いる／います = 居る／居ます (as Nike already mentioned before me)

このこと(this thing) = 此の事

そういうとき(that sort of time) = そう云う時

These used to be the standard way of writing the words, but over time, it
became obsolete probably because it's too much work.

Today, in advanced Japanese writing classes, we are usually told to _avoid_
these kinds of usage of kanji. Since the keyboard easily suggests these kanjis
when typing Japanese, some students (including myself in the past) tend to
carelessly write something like "そこに居ると言う事を..." when that actually looks
uneducated. In professional writing, the appropriate rate of Kanji use is said
to be around 30% of the sentence. This makes the sentence most easy to read,
and the meaning could be most effectively conveyed. When this is done, the
hiraganas play the role of "glue" between the kanji words jumping into your
eye right ahead.

Eg.

今日書類提出を御願い致しましたが返答が御座居ませんでした (hard to read)

今日、書類の提出をお願いしましたが返答がありませんでした (easier, and note that the sentence already makes
some sense even if you only read the kanjis)

きょう、しょるいのていしゅつをおねがいしましたがへんとうがありませんでした (hard to read)

So, just because there's a kanji-way of writing a word, using that is not
always the best way. It depends on the context.

Also, in your case, there are actually multiple ways of writing はかる depending
on the details of what you are measuring. 測る, 計る, 量る, could all be read はかる,
and that's not even all. And some people say that they all have slightly
different nuances! (I do agree to that, but can't really explain the
difference in words...) While I would suggest using the first one when it's
not clear what's best, simply using hiragana is always an alternative choice.
I can imagine that the Japanese text you posted definitely wanted to avoid
those complications, and simply took the easiest path. Nothing wrong there.

Using hiragana when there are actually kanjis is also common when you want to
make some dramatic effect. I can't come up with a good example right away, but
if you read mangas, I'm pretty sure you'll encounter a scene where the words
are written in hiragana even when there's an easy kanji.

Eg.

The main character in a dystopian Sci-Fi declares that he is going to _LIVE_
(after a disaster or whatever). Instead of 生きる, he says いきる。 in a big cut.
Sometimes that looks nicer. A bit similar to using italic or bold fonts. In
Japanese you also have the choice of using a different kanji, like 活きる (though
in this case, this will mean something different and doesn't really work), or
using katakana イキル... (he's a robot? or maybe dying..?)
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