1To knead or mix ingredients into a paste or dough; to thicken or bind by stirring (sometimes over heat).
毎朝、パンを焼く前に生地をよく練る。
Every morning I knead the dough well before baking bread.
あんこを鍋で練って味を調える。
I thicken the sweet bean paste in a pot to adjust the taste.
練った小麦粉に水を少しずつ加える。
Add water little by little to the kneaded flour.
2To polish, refine, or work out (a plan, idea, proposal, etc.), making it more detailed or effective.
新商品の企画をチームで練っている。
The team is refining a plan for a new product.
プレゼンの順序を練ってから本番に臨んだ。
I worked out the order of the presentation carefully before the actual event.
議案を練る段階で多くの意見が出た。
Many opinions came up while the proposal was being worked out.
3To train, drill, or exercise (people or groups) — to develop skill or discipline through practice.
コーチは若手選手を厳しく練って一人前に育てた。
The coach trained the young players rigorously and made them into professionals.
軍は新兵を基本動作から練る。
The military drills new recruits starting from basic movements.
4To process (silk) to give it luster or soften it; a technical term for silk finishing/degumming.
古い着物は仕立て直す前に絹を練って風合いを整えた。
Before re-tailoring the old kimono, we treated the silk to restore its texture.
5To tan or work leather as part of processing, making it softer and usable (leatherworking term).
職人は革を丹念に練って丈夫な財布を作った。
The craftsman carefully worked the leather to make a durable wallet.
6To temper or work metal/steel — adjusting its properties by heating, hammering, or treatment (metallurgy/blacksmithing term).
刀匠は何度も焼き入れと練りを繰り返して刃を仕上げる。
A swordsmith repeats quenching and tempering many times to finish the blade.
7To march or parade in procession; to walk in a group or line (often seen in compounds like 練り歩く).
祭りの日には神輿が町内を練り歩く。
On festival days the portable shrine is paraded through the neighborhood.