靴箱

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 靴箱 (くつばこ) is a compound noun for a cabinet used to store shoes.
• Basic usage: 靴箱に靴を入れる marks the cabinet interior as the destination for shoes, while 靴箱の上に鍵を置く uses its top surface as the location of a key.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Interior versus top surface
  • 靴箱に points contextually to the cabinet interior, whereas 靴箱の上に explicitly identifies its top surface. The key is not stored inside with the shoes in the second example.