machine · opportunity

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 機 has 16 strokes and appears in words for machines and opportunities.
• Basic usage: 機会 and 機械 are both read きかい.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The same reading with different meanings
  • 機会 means an opportunity, while 機械 means a machine.
  • 海外で学ぶ機会を得た means that someone gained an opportunity to study abroad.
  • In この機械は紙を同じ幅に切ります, the machine cuts paper to a uniform width.