This is the 1315th most frequent Korean word.
동기
"Motivation" or "peer/someone of the same age or status (context-dependent)."
In this context, '동기' refers to a peer or someone who entered an institution, such as a university, at the same time as the subject.
내 친구는 대학에서 동기를 만나서 아주 친해졌다.
My friend met their peer at university and became very close.
Here, '동기' is used to mean 'motivation' or the reason for engaging in a certain activity.
그는 매일 운동할 동기를 찾으려 노력한다.
He tries to find motivation to exercise every day.
In this sentence, '동기' signifies 'motive' or the underlying reason for an action, often in a psychological or investigative context.