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Although both means repair, but I am not able to understand the differences
between them.  
Is it that, when human efforts are involved in repair its called **直す** and
when it is being repaired by any other means is called **修理**
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-30T11:35:56.790
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2012-12-12T03:16:12.647
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question
word-choice
Difference Between 修理 and 直す
There are many, many examples of this kind. There are always different ways of
saying the same thing. The 漢語 (Chinese-derived word) plus する verb is often the
more formal version, whereas the simple native Japanese word is less formal.
When comparing 車を直す and 車を修理する, 直す and 修理する both mean "to repair", but the
latter sounds a tad more technical, but probably only because it is more
formal. It's something like

> 車を修理する  
>  to perform a car maintenance operation
>
> 車を直す  
>  to repair the car

but both can involve human efforts. In general, however, なおす means more than
just 修理する:

> [椅子]{いす}を **直して** ください  
>  **Put** the chair **back** where it was.
>
> 病気を **[治]{なお}す**  
>  to **cure** an ailment
>
> 作り **直す**  
>  to **re** make
>
> この文章を **直して** ください  
>  Please **correct** this sentence.

(See Tsuyoshi Ito's comment below.)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-30T11:58:43.257
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2012-12-12T03:16:12.647
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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`修理` means "fix/repair" and almost, if not always refers to fixing something
that is physically broken.

`直す` can also mean "fix" as in something broken, but has more metaphorical
uses. "Fix" as in correct a mistake (often seen as a compound verb `〜なおす`:
`書き直す` to rewrite); "fix" as in straighten out, put right, etc.; "Fix" as in
change/alter (a plan, etc.)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-30T14:35:12.007
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2012-10-30T19:11:19.940
2012-10-30T19:11:19.940
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answer
`直す` is a verb, and `修理` is a noun.

`修理` can be made into a verb by adding `する`, as in `修理する`, or into an
adjective by adding `の`, but it's still a noun at heart. Likewise, `直す` can
also be made into a noun by adding `こと`, but it is still a verb. Just because
a language allows you to modify words into different forms shouldn't trick you
into thinking they are the same thing. They have different grammatical
purposes and usages.

So `直す` is " ** _to_** fix", whereas `修理` is " ** _a_** repair".
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-30T19:18:33.163
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2012-12-10T05:55:31.743
2012-12-10T05:55:31.743
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answer