What is the difference between 交ざる / 混ざる {まざる} and 交じる / 混じる {まじる}?


Both {まじる} and {まざる} with both initial kanji characters 交 and 混 are
intransitive verbs that are translated into this by rikaichan:

> to be mixed; to be blended with; to associate with; to mingle with; to join  
>  (まじる has an extra meaning "to interest" though)

What is the difference between the まじる and まざる readings, in term of nuances
and usage? Are they interchangeable?

EDIT:

To further investigate the two variants, I conducted Google searches using +込む
form, and here are the results:

  * 交ざり込む  
About 40,900 results

  * 交じ込む  
About 5,330,000 results

  * 交じり込む  
About 861,000 results

  * 混ざり込む  
About 1,230,000 results

  * 混じ込む  
About 74,900 results

  * 混じり込む  
About 1,050,000 results

Someone please tell me how to interpret those results. Does {まじる} become
{まじります} or {まじます}?




So based on the IME hints pointed to by repecmps, the quick answer is that 混
and 交 differ in that the former deals with mixing things that, through mixing,
become indistinguishable from one another, while the latter deals with mixing
things that remain distinguishable. 混, therefore, is used for mixing colors,
liquids, smells, and related things that can't be separated once they're
mixed. 交, on the other hand, is for people and other objects that can be
easily separated and identified even after mixing.

(Now for the native speakers in the audience, when mixing oil and water, do
you use 混 or 交? :)




So based on the IME hints pointed to by repecmps, the quick answer is that 混
and 交 differ in that the former deals with mixing things that, through mixing,
become indistinguishable from one another, while the latter deals with mixing
things that remain distinguishable. 混, therefore, is used for mixing colors,
liquids, smells, and related things that can't be separated once they're
mixed. 交, on the other hand, is for people and other objects that can be
easily separated and identified even after mixing.

(Now for the native speakers in the audience, when mixing oil and water, do
you use 混 or 交? :)

