Primarily a physical mold for casting metal or other materials; also used figuratively for a fixed pattern or template that shapes something.
Pour molten metal into the mold.
His work doesn't fit into existing templates.
Molten metal is poured into a mold to make the part.
The craftsman carefully made the mold.
鋳型 is the mold itself used for casting, whereas 鋳物 refers to the finished cast metal object produced from that mold.
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years
Compound of 鋳 (i, 'casting') + 型 (kata, 'mold, form'), with rendaku voicing kata → gata.
School education was criticized for trying to fit students into the same mold.