徴候

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 徴候, read ちょうこう, denotes a sign through which a condition or change becomes apparent.
• Basic usage: In 機械に故障の徴候がないか、毎朝点検している。, the machine is checked every morning for signs of failure.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Beyond symptoms
  • 症状 is used for illness or bodily conditions, while 徴候 also applies to changes outside the body, such as mechanical failure.
• A question, not an absence finding
  • 徴候がないか asks whether there are any signs. Within the inspection sentence, it does not state a finding that no signs exist.