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Stolen _directly_ from Grigory M's question in the definition phase:

<http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/7526?phase=definition>
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2011-05-31T21:05:18.160
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question
kanji verbs
What is the difference in nuance and usage of the two kanji forms for なおす (naosu), 直す and 治す?
They both mean "to fix"/"to repair"/"to correct", but
[治す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E6%B2%BB%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3) is
used in the sense of "to heal or cure" ("to fix a disease").
"[直す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E7%9B%B4%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3)" is
used for fixing, not healing.

EDIT: As per Tsuyoshi Ito's correction (confirmed with a bit of googling),
I've removed a misleading bit about the object of these verbs.
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2011-05-31T21:09:48.540
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2011-05-31T22:05:38.060
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answer
治す is only used **to heal** or **to cure**.

直す has more meanings, it can mean:

1) to fix; to correct; to repair;

2) to replace; to put back as it was;

3) to convert (into a different state); to transform;

Examples:

その本をなおしなさい。= Put back the book where you found it.

次の文章を日本語に直しなさい。= Put the following sentences into Japanese.

==

Source: <http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-
bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1MUE%E6%B2%BB%E3%81%99>
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answer