• 事故じこ — accident
• 故意こい — intention / deliberate
• 故人こじん — the deceased
• 故郷こきょう — hometown
• 故障こしょう — breakdown / malfunction
• 故国ここく — native country

故 combines 古 (old) with 攵 (action/strike), reflecting reasons or outcomes rooted in the past. It can denote “cause/reason” in logical use, or respectfully refer to someone deceased (“the late…”).