機

Phono-semantic compound:

木 (tree, wood) – semantic element, indicating wooden frames, structures, or devices;

幾 (several, “gi”) – phonetic element.

Originally referred to a wooden loom (a weaving frame). From the idea of a loom’s intricate moving parts, the meaning expanded to “mechanism, device” and later to “machine” in general. By metaphor, it also came to mean “opportunity” or “critical moment,” as in something triggered by a mechanism.

Semantic range:

- wooden loom, weaving frame;

- mechanism, device, machinery;

- machine (modern usage: 기계 機械);

- opportunity, chance, turning point (機會).

기계 (機械) – machine

기구 (機構) – organization, apparatus

기회 (機會) – opportunity

위기 (危機) – crisis (lit. dangerous moment)

동기 (動機) – motive

비행기 (飛行機) – airplane

In Korea, sometimes abbreviated with 桟 or 栈, though these are formally variants of 棧 (ladder, scaffold) in Japanese shinjitai and Chinese simplified.