ichidan verb, transitive verb
knead; mix with fingers
Used for working a soft substance such as dough, clay, or paste by pressing and folding with the hands.
パンを作る前に、小麦粉と水をよくこねてください。
Before making bread, please knead the flour and water well.
子どもが粘土をこねて動物の形を作った。
The child kneaded clay and made animal shapes.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
quibble; argue for argument's sake
Figurative use: to pick at details or argue stubbornly over minor points, as if kneading a topic endlessly. Often used in the expression 理屈をこねる.
彼はいつも細かいことで理屈をこねる。
He always quibbles over small details.
そんなにこねても、結果は変わらないよ。
No matter how much you argue, the result won't change.