Translation guide
The English verb 'heal' covers physical recovery from injury or illness, emotional recovery, and the act of making something whole again. Japanese uses different words depending on what is healing and whether it's natural recovery or medical treatment.
To describe a cut, wound, or injury getting better naturally or through treatment.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to get better' for injuries, wounds, or illnesses. Focuses on natural recovery.
傷が治るまでに一週間かかった。
It took a week for the wound to heal.
Transitive verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to cure' something. Used when a doctor or treatment heals a wound or illness.
医者が私の傷を治してくれた。
The doctor healed my wound.
Intransitive verb for healing, often used for emotional or spiritual healing, but can apply to physical wounds in literary contexts.
心の傷はなかなか癒えない。
Emotional wounds don't heal easily.
To recover from a disease or sickness.
Same as for wounds; the most common verb for recovering from illness.
風邪が治った。
My cold healed / I recovered from my cold.
More formal, means 'to recover' from illness or fatigue. Often used in medical contexts.
彼は病気から完全に回復した。
He completely healed from his illness.
Technical/medical term for 'healing' or 'cure'. Used in formal writing.
傷の治癒には時間がかかる。
Healing of the wound takes time.
To recover from emotional pain, trauma, or distress.
Commonly used for emotional wounds healing over time. Intransitive.
時間が経てば心の傷も癒えるだろう。
With time, emotional wounds will heal.
Transitive verb meaning 'to heal' someone emotionally or spiritually. Often used for things like music, nature, or therapy.
Means 'to recover' or 'bounce back' from emotional setbacks. Focuses on regaining strength.
Noun meaning 'healing' or 'soothing'. Often used in contexts like 'healing music' or 'healing space'.
To mend or repair a broken relationship or division.
Means 'to repair' or 'mend' relationships, trust, etc.
二人は関係を修復しようと努力した。
They tried to heal their relationship.
Means 'to reconcile' or 'make peace'. Implies healing a conflict.
長い対立の後、彼らは和解した。
After a long conflict, they healed their rift.
Literally 'to dissolve a grudge/ill feeling'. Used for healing emotional distance.
話し合いでわだかまりを解いた。
They healed the hard feelings through discussion.
To restore health points or cure status effects using magic or items.
Standard term in games for 'heal' or 'recover' HP/MP.
魔法で味方を回復した。
I healed my ally with magic.
Loanword from English 'heal', used as a noun or suru-verb in gaming.
ヒーラーがパーティーをヒールした。
The healer healed the party.
Often used in fantasy settings for 'healing magic' (治癒魔法).
治癒魔法を唱えた。
I cast a healing spell.
治る (intransitive) is for natural healing of injuries/illness. 治す (transitive) is for actively healing something. 癒える is more emotional/literary. Don't use 治す for emotional healing; use 癒す instead.
ヒール is gaming slang. Using it for medical or emotional healing sounds unnatural and geeky.
The beautiful music healed my heart.
彼女は失恋から立ち直るのに時間がかかった。
It took her time to heal from the heartbreak.
This café is a healing space.