practice

Compared meaning: repeated practice to improve a skill (noun).

比较义项：练习（名词）。

• practice 本词

  Refers to the repeated activity of doing something in order to improve a skill; usually uncountable and describes an ongoing process rather than a single task, often paired with verbs like get, need, or put in.

  指为提高某项技能而反复操练的活动，通常作不可数名词，描述的是一个持续的过程而非单一任务，常与 get、need、put in 等词搭配。

  Piano playing takes years of daily practice to master.

  学钢琴需要多年每天的练习才能精通。

• exercise

  Refers to a specific task or set of tasks designed to build a skill, usually countable, and typically found in a textbook, workbook, or classroom setting.

  指为培养某项技能而设计出来的具体任务或一组题目，通常作可数名词，常见于教材、练习册或课堂情境中。

  Complete the grammar exercises at the end of each chapter.

  完成每章末尾的语法练习题。

Practice and exercise both relate to improving a skill through repetition. Practice is the ongoing activity, usually uncountable, as in 'need more practice'. Exercise is one specific task, usually countable, like a textbook exercise. This excludes exercise as physical exercise and practice as a habit.

这两个词在此义项上都可译为“练习”，但侧重点不同：practice 强调为提高技能而反复操练的过程，通常不可数；exercise 强调专门设计出来供练习用的具体任务或题目，通常可数。这里不比较 exercise 的“体育锻炼”义，也不比较 practice 的“惯例、惯常做法”或“（医生、律师）业务”等其他义项。

Compared meaning: repeated practice to master a skill (verb).

比较义项：反复练习以掌握技能（动词）。

• practice 本词

  The most general, everyday word for repeating an activity to get better at it; used for almost any skill (language, sport, music) and works for both self-directed and instructor-led practice.

  这是表示为提高技能而反复做某事的最通用、最常见的词，几乎可用于任何技能（语言、体育、音乐），既可以是自主练习，也可以是有老师指导的练习。

  You should practice speaking English every single day.

  你应该每天都练习说英语。

• exercise

  Rarer and more formal than practice; it emphasizes actively using or applying a skill or mental faculty (memory, vocabulary, judgment) rather than mechanical repetition.

  比practice更少见、更正式，强调主动运用或发挥某种技能或能力（记忆力、词汇量、判断力），而不是机械地反复操作。

  You can exercise your listening skills by watching movies without subtitles.

  你可以通过看没有字幕的电影来练习你的听力技能。

• drill

  Implies structured, often teacher-led or mechanical repetition; it can take a person as its object ('drill students in grammar'), suggesting imposed, rote training rather than self-directed practice.

  强调有结构、通常由老师主导或带有机械性质的反复操练；可以以人作宾语（如“drill students in grammar”训练学生语法），带有被动接受、反复操练的意味，而不是自主练习。

  The teacher drilled the students on irregular verbs every morning.

  老师每天早上反复训练学生掌握不规则动词。

Practice, exercise, and drill mean repeating something to master a skill. Practice is the most common, for any skill, alone or with a teacher. Exercise is rarer and more formal, meaning to use a skill you have. Drill means teacher-led, mechanical repetition.

这三个词都可以表示为掌握某项技能而反复练习或训练，但语气和用法不同：practice最常用、最口语化，exercise更正式、强调运用已有能力，drill则强调由老师主导或带机械性质的反复操练。这里不比较exercise表示“体育锻炼”（如例句中的健身义）或作名词的用法，也不比较drill表示“钻头、钻孔”的工具义，也不比较practice表示“惯例、习惯”或律师、医生“执业”的用法。