Translation guide
The English verb 'mend' covers repairing broken objects, healing injuries or relationships, and improving situations. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is being mended.
To fix something that is physically broken, torn, or not working, such as clothes, machines, or furniture.
The most common and general verb for fixing or repairing something. Can be used for objects, machines, and even abstract things like mistakes.
I mended the broken chair.
Can you mend this watch?
A more formal term for repair, often used for mechanical or electronic items. Common in professional contexts.
I sent the car to be mended.
Specifically means to mend clothing by darning or stitching. Used for repairing fabric items.
I mended the hole in my sock.
To recover from a physical injury, especially a broken bone.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to get better'. Used when the injury itself is the subject.
It takes time for a broken bone to mend.
Transitive verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to cure'. Used when someone or something causes the healing.
To repair a damaged relationship or make a bad situation better.
To improve one's behavior or habits.
直す (naosu) is the everyday word for fixing things, from a torn shirt to a broken toy. 修理する (shuuri suru) is more formal and often implies professional repair, especially for machinery or electronics. Use 直す in casual conversation and 修理する when talking about sending something to a repair shop.
In English, 'mend' can sometimes mean 'correct' (e.g., 'mend a mistake'), but in Japanese, 直す (naosu) is used for both 'fix' and 'correct'. However, for correcting a mistake on paper, 訂正する (teisei suru) is more precise. For mending a mistake in a plan, 修正する (shuusei suru) is better.
医者が骨折を治した。
The doctor mended the broken bone.
To patch up or gloss over a situation, often with a nuance of hiding the truth. Can be used for mending appearances or temporarily fixing a problem.
He mended the situation for the moment.
Literally 'change one's heart'. Implies a sincere change of attitude.
He mended his ways and started working seriously.