These are two words that seem like they are basically interchangeable at most levels, as they generally are. The difference between them appears to be small, but what is the difference, if one exists? I feel like there are certain situations in which you would use 大事 and certain situations in which you would use 大切. For example, I would associate 大切 with sentimental things because of the 切 in it that comes from 切ない, things like memories, or a present that someone gave you, whereas I would associate 大事 with things that are of pressing importance, closer to 重要. But this does not appear to be the case, as I occasionally see 大切 used where I would normally expect 大事, like 大切なお知らせ, with more of a feeling of 緊急 or urgency. There are sources here and here which address this, but they both arrive at the same wiggly uncertain feeling that 大切 is more emotional and 大事 is more about urgency while admitting that in just about any situation the two can be used interchangeably.
大辞林 isn't much help on the subject. For both it says 重要であるさま, and in 大事 it includes 大切に扱う and in 大切 it includes 大事にする. The only hint I can get from the dictionary entry is in the following for 大切:
大切
丁寧に扱って、大事にするさま。「本を―にする」「命を―にする」
And in the following for 大事:
大事
重要で欠くことのできないさま。ある物事の存否にかかわるさま。「―な用を忘れていた」「今が―な時期だ」
This lends something to the idea of 大切 as a more 'polite' form of importance while 大事 is more about the concept that something is fundamentally necessary and in that regard important. However both of the entries generally seem to be nearly the same with different wording.
Is there a practical difference, and if so, what is it? Does using one over the other have any impact on the actual meaning of a sentence? When can they not be used interchangeably (outside of set phrases like お大事に)?
Answer
As far as I can tell, you've basically hit the nail on the head with the differences between the two.
大切 is listed in the 日本国語大辞典 as (I've removed some of definitions I think are less important):
...
2: 一番必要で、重んずべき物であること。貴重であること。肝要であること。
...
4: 心をくばってていねいに取り扱うこと。大事にすること。かけがえのないものとして心から愛するさま。
So using definition 2, something which is of utmost importance/precious/essential and should be given great regard to, which I see in reference to things which are done (which I think would e.g. be used like 体を大事にするのが大切です, though 大切/大事 could be exchanged there as they can be very similar).
And using definition 4 is with the emphasis on the "treat something mindfully/carefully" and "love something from the bottom of one's heart (心) as if there's no substitute" which I see more for describing things/people as in 大切な（物・者） (though it's also listed as "treated as 大事").
And for 大事 (as an adjective):
1: かけがえのないものとして大切にするさま。大切。
2: 評価して心にとめるべきさま。重要で根本にかかわるさま。
So it's used for things which are to be treated as 大切 as if they can't be replaced, or a state where something should be valued and given heed to, so there's a lot of overlap, but I believe that 大切 is more about the 心/sentimental/emotional sense and is more subjective and 大事 more about being fundamentally important/valuable and is more objective.
Note that 大事 can also be used as a noun to mean an important task/large undertaking (as in 大事業) or an important thing etc.
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