展示, 展覧会 and 展示会: displays, arrangements and a planned visit
Compare 展示 as an ongoing display or a size check with 展覧会 for viewing and arrangement discussions and 展示会 for a planned visit to a photography exhibition or product experience.
展示 in displayed pottery and a size check
展示 (てんじ) means display or exhibition. 「博物館では古代の土器を展示している。」 means “The museum displays ancient pottery.” The museum currently displays the pottery; the sentence concerns showing the objects.
「店頭の展示を見て、新しい掃除機の大きさを確かめた。」 means “I checked the new vacuum's size from the store display.” The store display was used to check the new vacuum's size. Viewing a displayed object and purchasing it are different actions.
展覧会 in viewing and discussing arrangements
展覧会 (てんらんかい) means exhibition. 「市立美術館で現代絵画の展覧会を見た。」 means “I saw an exhibition of modern paintings at the city museum.” The reported viewing concerns modern paintings at the city museum.
「生徒たちは展覧会に向けて作品の配置を相談した。」 means “The students discussed how to arrange their works for the exhibition.” The students discussed the arrangement of their works for an exhibition. Discussion does not itself report that the works were already arranged.
展示会 in a planned visit and product experience
展示会 (てんじかい) means exhibition. 「週末に開かれる写真の展示会へ行く予定だ。」 means “I plan to attend a photography exhibition this weekend.” The visit is planned, and the event is a photography exhibition. This example does not make 展示会 exclusive to sales events.
「展示会では新しい製品を実際に触ることができた。」 means “At the exhibition, we were able to touch the new products.” Being able to touch the products was an experience at this exhibition, distinct from completing a purchase or payment.
Does 写真の展示会 establish that 展示会 names only a sales event?
Show the answer and why
No. This example names a photography exhibition, while 展覧会 also means exhibition. Ongoing display, discussion of arrangements, a planned visit and product experience are different actions in their respective sentences.