Meaning and Usage
The verb 治る (なおる) primarily means "to get better" or "to heal," often used for illnesses or injuries recovering naturally. It can also mean "to be fixed" when referring to objects or problems that are repaired or resolved.
Common Contexts
- Health: Used when someone recovers from sickness or injury.
- Objects: Used when something broken is repaired and returns to working condition.
- Abstract: Sometimes used metaphorically for personality or situations improving.
Collocations and Patterns
- 風邪が治る (かぜがなおる): to recover from a cold
- 病気が治る (びょうきがなおる): to recover from an illness
- 壊れたものが治る (こわれたものがなおる): a broken thing gets fixed
Register and Politeness
治る is a neutral verb used in everyday conversation. For polite speech, use the polite form 治ります.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 治る (to heal/get better) with 直る (also pronounced なおる), which means "to be fixed" or "to be corrected." While both share the same reading and similar meanings, 治る is more often used for health and abstract improvements, and 直る is more common for mechanical or textual corrections. Context usually clarifies the meaning.