Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘Naosu’ (直す) primarily means to fix, repair, or restore something to its correct or original state. It also functions as an auxiliary verb meaning ‘to do something again’ to correct it.
🎯 Primary Function
To restore, correct, or redo an action/object for the better.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun を 直す / V-masu stem + 直す (auxiliary usage)
N/A (This is a verb)
N/A (This is a verb)
Noun を 直さない / V-masu stem + 直さない
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used in business when discussing corrections in documents or repairs. Use ‘Shuuri suru’ (修理する) for more formal technical repairs.
Informal Situations
Commonly used with friends and family for fixing clothes, habits, or re-doing tasks.
Written Language
Used in reports to indicate revisions or corrections.
Spoken Language
Highly common in daily speech (e.g., ‘Kao o naoshite’ – Fix your face/makeup).
💡 Common Applications
Repairing Physical Objects
Used when something mechanical or physical is broken and needs repair.
Example: Kowareta tokei o naosu (Fix a broken watch).
Correcting Errors
Used for correcting written errors, typos, or conceptual mistakes.
Example: Machigai o naosu (Correct a mistake).
Adjusting Appearance
Used for tidying up one’s appearance, such as hair or clothing.
Example: Keshou o naosu (Touch up makeup).
Auxiliary Verb (V-masu + naosu)
Attached to the stem of another verb to indicate doing that action over again to improve it.
Example: Kaki-naosu (Rewrite).
Frequency
Very High – Essential for daily communication.
Difficulty
JLPT N3 (Intermediate)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
壊れた時計を、専門家に直してもらいました。
Furigana: こわ（壊）れたとけい（時計）を、せんもんか（専門家）になお（直）してもらいました。
Romaji: Kowareta tokei o, senmonka ni naoshite moraimashita.
English: I asked a professional to fix my broken watch.
Example #2
明日までに、この資料のミスを直しておいてください。
Furigana: あした（明日）までに、このしりょう（資料）のミスをなお（直）しておいてください。
Romaji: Ashita made ni, kono shiryou no misu o naoshite oite kudasai.
English: Please correct the mistakes in this document by tomorrow.
Example #3
間違いがたくさんあったので、宿題を最初からやり直すことにしました。
Furigana: まちが（間違）いがたくさんあったので、しゅくだい（宿題）をさいしょ（最初）からやりなお（直）すことにしました。
Romaji: Machigai ga takusan atta node, shukudai o saisho kara yarinaosu koto ni shimashita.
English: Since I made many mistakes, I decided to redo the homework from the beginning.
Example #4
この英語の文を、日本語に直していただけますか。
Furigana: このえいご（英語）のぶん（文）を、にほんご（日本語）になお（直）していただけますか。
Romaji: Kono eigo no bun o, nihongo ni naoshite itadakemasu ka.
English: Could you please translate this English sentence into Japanese?
Example #5
鏡を見て、乱れた髪を直しました。
Furigana: かがみ（鏡）をみ（見）て、みだ（乱）れたかみ（髪）をなお（直）しました。
Romaji: Kagami o mite, midareta kami o naoshimashita.
English: I looked in the mirror and fixed my messy hair.
Example #6
メールを出す前に、もう一度読み直します。
Furigana: メールをだ（出）すまえ（前）に、もういちど（一度）よ（読）みなお（直）します。
Romaji: Meeru o dasu mae ni, mou ichido yominaoshimasu.
English: I will re-read the email one more time before sending it.
Example #7
夜更かしの癖を直したいです。
Furigana: よふ（夜更）かしのくせ（癖）をなお（直）したいです。
Romaji: Yofukashi no kuse o naoshitai desu.
English: I want to fix my habit of staying up late.
Example #8
曲がっているネクタイを直してください。
Furigana: ま（曲）がっているネクタイをなお（直）してください。
Romaji: Magatte iru nekutai o naoshite kudasai.
English: Please straighten the crooked tie.
Example #9
彼の意見を聞いて、自分の計画を考え直した。
Furigana: かれ（彼）のいけん（意見）をき（聞）いて、じぶん（自分）のけいかく（計画）をかんが（考）えなお（直）した。
Romaji: Kare no iken o kiite, jibun no keikaku o kangaenaoshita.
English: After hearing his opinion, I re-evaluated my own plan.
Example #10
ちょっと待って、化粧を直すから。
Furigana: ちょっとま（待）って、けしょう（化粧）をなお（直）すから。
Romaji: Chotto matte, keshou o naosu kara.
English: Wait a moment, I need to fix my makeup.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Translation usage
‘Naosu’ can be used specifically for translation or conversion between languages/systems.
Example: Eigo o nihongo ni naosu.
The suffix ‘~naosu’ (〜直す)
As a suffix, it implies that the first attempt was unsatisfactory and needs to be done again correctly.
Example: Kangaenaosu (Think again).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Kaze o naosu (直す)
✅ Kaze o naosu (治す)
When referring to curing an illness or healing a wound, the Kanji ‘治す’ must be used, even though the reading is the same.
❌ Tokei o naoru
✅ Tokei ga naoru (直る)
‘Naosu’ is transitive (requires ‘o’). ‘Naoru’ is intransitive (used with ‘ga’) for when something gets fixed on its own or describes the state.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Standard. Can be used in polite (Naoshimasu) or casual (Naosu) forms.
Social Situations: Commonly used when an apology is followed by a correction (e.g., ‘I will fix it immediately’).
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
直す (Naosu) vs. 修理する (Shuuri suru)
‘Naosu’ is broader; ‘Shuuri suru’ is specifically for technical/mechanical repairs (like a car engine).
When to use: Use ‘Naosu’ for general life; ‘Shuuri suru’ for professional/technical contexts.
直す (Naosu) vs. 治す (Naosu)
Same reading, different Kanji. ‘直す’ is for things/errors; ‘治す’ is for health/bodies.
When to use: Use ‘治す’ only for medical/health recovery.
📝 Conjugation Notes
‘Naosu’ is a Group 1 (U-verb / Godan verb). Negative: Naosanai; Te-form: Naoshite; Ta-form: Naoshita; Potential: Naoseru.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The ‘su’ at the end is often voiceless/whispered in polite form (Naoshimasu).
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘Naosu’ as ‘Reset to Normal’. Whether it’s a broken radio, a typo, or messy hair, you are bringing it back to how it should be.
Other Grammar
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