How to say "heal" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 治すなおすgodan verb, transitive verbThe transitive sense of 'heal': a doctor, medicine, or treatment cures an illness or heals a wound; use it when someone or something does the healing, such as a doctor curing a patient.
- 治るなおるgodan verb, intransitive verbThe intransitive sense of 'heal': the illness, injury, or person gets better, recovers, or is cured. Use it when a cold or wound heals on its own, or when you say you have recovered.
Use 「治す」 for the active sense of 'heal', where a doctor, medicine, or you yourself cure an illness or wound, and 「治る」 for the intransitive sense, where the illness or person simply gets better or recovers.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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