腰掛け

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 腰掛け (こしかけ) is a noun for a small seat or, figuratively, a job treated as temporary.
• Basic usage: 腰掛けに座る makes an entrance stool the place sat on, while 仕事を腰掛けと考える evaluates a job as temporary until the next step.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Furniture and stopgap employment
  • 小さな腰掛け is physical furniture, whereas 仕事を腰掛けと考える uses と to classify the job figuratively as a stopgap. It does not state that a stool is present at work.