Japanese word

治る

Pronunciation

Romajinaoru

Meaning

  • verbget better

Example

風邪が治りました。kaze ga nao ri ma shi ta

My cold got better.

Illustration for 治る (get better)

More examples

妹の風邪が治りました。imōto no kaze ga nao ri ma shi ta

My little sister's cold got better.

薬を飲んだら、すぐに治りました。kusuri o no n da ra su gu ni nao ri ma shi ta

After taking medicine, I got better right away.

Core concept

Describes an illness, injury, or other unhealthy condition returning to a normal state.

Common phrases

  • 病気が治るbyō ki ga nao ru

    an illness clears up

  • 傷が治るkizu ga nao ru

    a wound gets better

  • 風邪が治るkaze ga nao ru

    a cold is cured

Similar words

回復するkaifukusuru: To regain health or strength after an illness or injury.
癒えるieru: To become free from the effects of an illness, injury, or pain.

Definition in Japanese

病気やけがなどがよくなり、元の健康な状態に戻る。byō ki ya ke ga na do ga yo ku na ri moto no ken kō na jō tai ni modo ru

Word origin

治る (naoru) belongs to the native なおる (naoru) vocabulary, whose recorded meaning is returning to a proper condition; 治 (ji, "heal") became established in the spelling for restoring health.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 治る (naoru) is used for illness, whereas 直る (naoru) is used for a fault or broken object, even though both are pronounced naoru.

Other meanings

  • be curedverb

Opposites

  • 悪化するakkasuruget worseverb

Related words

  • 治りnaorirecoverynoun

Word lists with this word