crystal · bright

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 晶 has 12 strokes; 結晶 is read けっしょう, and 液晶 is read えきしょう.
• Basic usage: 結晶 denotes a material crystal or the culmination of effort; 液晶 denotes liquid crystal or a liquid crystal display.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Material, achievement, and a display
  • 白い結晶が残った means that white crystals remained after saltwater dried. 努力の結晶 figuratively denotes an achievement brought about by people's combined efforts.
  • 時計の液晶 refers to the liquid crystal display of a clock. Where the numbers have faded and cannot be read, the focus is the state of the display.