居住 and 住居: residing and a place to live
Use 建物に居住する and 住居を探す to distinguish residing from a dwelling, while preserving the readings きょじゅう and じゅうきょ.
居住 describes residing somewhere
居住 (きょじゅう) refers to living in a place. “この建物に十年以上居住している。” says that the speaker has lived in this building for ten years or more.
建物に gives the place of residence, while 居住している describes the continuing state of living there. The duration in the example is not a minimum duration built into the word 居住.
住居 names the dwelling
住居 (じゅうきょ) names a dwelling or place to live. “会社の近くで住居を探している。” says that the speaker is looking for a place to live near the company.
住居を marks what is being sought, and 探している describes the ongoing search. It does not say that a dwelling has already been found or that the person lives inside the company’s building.
Check the reading and the sentence role together
The words use the same kanji in a different order: 居住 is read きょじゅう, and 住居 is read じゅうきょ. Connect each reading with residing in the building or the dwelling being sought.
Here, に connects the place of residence, while を marks the object of the search. Do not extend this contrast into registration requirements, a minimum length of residence, or the difference between moving and staying overnight.
What role does 住居 have in “会社の近くで住居を探している。”, and has a dwelling already been found?
Show the answer and why
住居 is the dwelling being sought, the object of 探す. 探している describes an ongoing search, so the sentence does not state that a dwelling has already been found.