壊れる

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 壊れる (こわれる) is an intransitive verb for malfunctioning or breaking physically. The examples show actual failure and conditional risk.
• Basic usage: An old clock suddenly stops working; a box may break if pressed hard.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Clock losing function and box at risk of structural damage
  • Subjects are 時計が and 箱が. One selects malfunction and the other physical breakage; no agent of transitive 壊す is stated.