起こる

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 起こる(おこる) is an intransitive verb meaning that an event or problem occurs.
• Basic usage: It states that an accident occurred at an intersection.
  • 交差点で小さな事故が起こった。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Occurrence and causation
  • 事故が起こる describes an accident occurring; 事故を起こす describes someone causing an accident.
• Different senses of getting up or happening
  • 起きる(おきる) is used for waking up or getting up. 起きる can also describe events happening, but 起こる does not replace it in the waking-up sense.