1To expose laundry, food, or the like to wind or sunlight in order to remove moisture.
雨が降りそうなので、急いで洗濯物を干した。
It looked like it would rain, so I hurried to hang the laundry out to dry.
おばあちゃんは毎年、大根を干して漬物を作る。
Every year, my grandmother dries daikon radish to make pickles.
布団を天日に干すと、ふかふかになる。
If you air a futon out in the sun, it becomes fluffy.
釣った魚をその場で干して、干物にした。
I dried the fish I caught on the spot, turning it into dried fish.
2To drain off excess moisture or oil from boiled or cooked ingredients.
パスタを茹でたら、ざるにあげて湯を干す。
After boiling the pasta, drain it in a colander to remove the water.
天ぷらは油を十分に干してから盛り付ける。
Drain the tempura of excess oil well before plating it.
3(Colloquial) To down a drink, such as alcohol, in one go.
乾杯の合図で、みんな一気にグラスを干した。
At the toast, everyone downed their glasses in one go.
彼は悔しさを紛らわすように、日本酒を何杯も干した。
As if to drown his frustration, he downed cup after cup of sake.
4For a performer, athlete, or the like to be sidelined, deliberately denied work or a chance to appear; usually used in the passive form (干される, "to be sidelined").
スキャンダルの後、彼はテレビ局に干されてしまった。
After the scandal, he was sidelined by the TV networks.
監督とぶつかってから、彼は試合に出られず干されている。
Ever since clashing with the coach, he's been benched and hasn't been able to play.