What is the difference in nuance and usage of the two kanji forms for なおす (naosu), 直す and 治す?


Stolen _directly_ from Grigory M's question in the definition phase:

<http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/7526?phase=definition>




They both mean "to fix"/"to repair"/"to correct", but
[治す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E6%B2%BB%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3) is
used in the sense of "to heal or cure" ("to fix a disease").
"[直す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E7%9B%B4%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3)" is
used for fixing, not healing.

EDIT: As per Tsuyoshi Ito's correction (confirmed with a bit of googling),
I've removed a misleading bit about the object of these verbs.




They both mean "to fix"/"to repair"/"to correct", but
[治す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E6%B2%BB%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3) is
used in the sense of "to heal or cure" ("to fix a disease").
"[直す](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E7%9B%B4%E3%81%99&stype=0&dtype=3)" is
used for fixing, not healing.

EDIT: As per Tsuyoshi Ito's correction (confirmed with a bit of googling),
I've removed a misleading bit about the object of these verbs.

