A structure defining a divided combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, including an upper ceramic member and a lower ceramic member having a passage which abut on each other at an interface to form therein the divided combustion chamber such that the chamber communicates with a main combustion chamber through a passage formed in the lower ceramic member. The upper and lower ceramics members have cutouts formed respectively in their outer surfaces so as to cooperate to constitute at least one external recess which extends across the interface. An expansion member is fitted in each external recess, and has a larger coefficient of thermal expansion than the upper and lower ceramic members, whereby the expansion member keeps the upper and lower ceramic members spaced apart from each other by a predetermined amount at their interface while the engine is operated.