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Kotomora

機

loom, mechanism, machine, airplane, opportunity, potency, efficacy, occasion

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 200Strokes16

Readings

On'yomi

  • キ

Kun'yomi

  • はた

Meaning

機 centers on a structured device that transforms or enables action: a machine, mechanism, or loom. Its extended senses of opportunity, potency, and occasion grow from the idea of a mechanism that creates a favorable moment or effective result.

Most common words using 機

24 of 1,452
  • 機き
    N2

    chance; opportunity

  • 機能きのう
    N3

    function; facility; faculty; feature

  • 機関きかん
    N3

    engine

  • 機会きかい
    N4

    chance; opportunity; occasion

  • 機械きかい
    N3

    machine; mechanism

  • 危機きき
    N2

    crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch

  • 機器きき

    device; equipment; machinery; apparatus

  • 飛行機ひこうき
    N5

    airplane; aeroplane; plane; aircraft

  • 機種きしゅ
    N1

    model (of machine, device)

  • 待機たいき
    N1

    standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert

  • 機体きたい
    N1

    fuselage; airframe

  • 機構きこう
    N1

    mechanism; machinery

  • 機動きどう

    maneuver (usu. of military force); manoeuvre

  • 動機どうき
    N2

    motive; incentive

  • 機嫌きげん
    N3

    humour; humor; temper; mood; spirits

  • 有機ゆうき
    N1

    organic

  • 機密きみつ

    secrecy; highly classified information

  • 機材きざい

    machinery and materials; equipment

  • 航空機こうくうき
    N1

    aircraft

  • 扇風機せんぷうき
    N2

    electric fan

  • 機内きない

    inside a plane; in-flight

  • 自販機じはんき

    vending machine

  • 電機でんき

    electrical machinery; appliances

  • 機長きちょう
    N1

    captain (of an aircraft)

Explore all words using 機 →

Study

Etymology

機 combines 木 (wood) with 幾, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of subtlety or small triggers. Historically, it referred to a wooden loom mechanism, later extending to machines and abstract triggers.

Meaning mnemonic

A wooden 木 frame with a complex mechanism 幾: picture an old wooden loom with many small moving parts. That loom is a machine, and every machine creates opportunities to get work done.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, imagine a key turning in a machine: key -> キ, and the key starts the mechanism.