機構

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 機構 is read as きこう and is a noun meaning either the working mechanism inside a device or an organization established for a purpose.
• Basic usage: The mechanical sense appears in 時計の内部機構, while the organizational sense appears in 新しい機構を設ける.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Two senses: machine and organization
  • Context distinguishes a system of interacting parts from an institution arranged to perform a function.
• Difference from 構造
  • 構造 broadly denotes how elements are arranged, while 機構 focuses on a functioning mechanism or organized body.