What's the difference between 構成 and 編成?


The definitions/synonyms are kind of the same so I was wondering if they're
basically just the same word or if one of them means one thing more than the
other?




編成 is the organization or formation of a team, a military unit such as a
fleet, a train, an orchestra, etc. When you use 編成, each member is basically a
complete and independent unit (e.g., a professional musician) which can work
even in isolation. 編成 means putting them together and make a greater system.
The members are relatively homogeneous, and the resulting system can usually
serve most of its original function even if some of its members are removed.

構成 is similar, but it's used with a broader range of words. You can say the 構成
of a sentence, software, a cell or a story, as well as a team of people. Each
element or component can be almost anything, but it can be a thing which does
not make much sense in isolation, like a tire and a CPU.

In places where 編成 can be used, 構成 could usually also be used without largely
changing the meaning. But sometimes the meaning would change. For example,
テレビ番組の構成 means a construction/format of a single TV program, whereas テレビ番組の編成
would usually refer to constructing the lineup of multiple TV programs for a
day or week.

There is also [組成【そせい】](http://jisho.org/search/%E7%B5%84%E6%88%90), which is
used mainly in technical contexts when each component is amorphous material
such as oil and metal.

Finally, the definition of some online dictionaries such as jisho.org is often
very insufficient. If you're an advanced learner, you can find many examples
using [ALC](https://eow.alc.co.jp/) or Weblio.

  * [Examples of 編成](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E7%B7%A8%E6%88%90)
  * [Examples of 構成](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E6%A7%8B%E6%88%90)




編成 is the organization or formation of a team, a military unit such as a
fleet, a train, an orchestra, etc. When you use 編成, each member is basically a
complete and independent unit (e.g., a professional musician) which can work
even in isolation. 編成 means putting them together and make a greater system.
The members are relatively homogeneous, and the resulting system can usually
serve most of its original function even if some of its members are removed.

構成 is similar, but it's used with a broader range of words. You can say the 構成
of a sentence, software, a cell or a story, as well as a team of people. Each
element or component can be almost anything, but it can be a thing which does
not make much sense in isolation, like a tire and a CPU.

In places where 編成 can be used, 構成 could usually also be used without largely
changing the meaning. But sometimes the meaning would change. For example,
テレビ番組の構成 means a construction/format of a single TV program, whereas テレビ番組の編成
would usually refer to constructing the lineup of multiple TV programs for a
day or week.

There is also [組成【そせい】](http://jisho.org/search/%E7%B5%84%E6%88%90), which is
used mainly in technical contexts when each component is amorphous material
such as oil and metal.

Finally, the definition of some online dictionaries such as jisho.org is often
very insufficient. If you're an advanced learner, you can find many examples
using [ALC](https://eow.alc.co.jp/) or Weblio.

  * [Examples of 編成](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E7%B7%A8%E6%88%90)
  * [Examples of 構成](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E6%A7%8B%E6%88%90)

