飾り物

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 飾り物(かざりもの) means an object placed for decoration.
• Basic usage: It refers to an ornament on a shelf or an object that remains decorative after losing its practical function.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The limitation added by ただの
  • ただの飾り物 limits the object to a decorative role. The broken-clock example also establishes that it no longer serves its timekeeping function.