noun
flat iron; iron
A heated metal tool used for pressing clothes; commonly called アイロン in modern Japanese, but コテ can appear in traditional or specific contexts.
昔はコテを使って着物のしわを伸ばした。
In the past, people used a flat iron to smooth out wrinkles in kimono.
noun
An electric tool for melting solder; in electronics and crafts, コテ is the standard term.
電子工作にはコテが欠かせない。
A soldering iron is essential for electronics work.
noun
curling iron; curling tongs; crimper
A heated styling tool for curling hair; often specified as ヘアーコテ or カールコテ in beauty contexts.
彼女はコテで髪を巻いている。
She is curling her hair with a curling iron.
noun
trowel
A flat-bladed hand tool for plastering or smoothing; in construction and plastering, コテ is the common term.
左官はコテで壁をきれいに仕上げた。
The plasterer finished the wall smoothly with a trowel.
The origin is uncertain; the word こて has been used for various flat metal tools since the Edo period. The kanji 鏝 is a kokuji (Japanese-made character) combining 金 (metal) and 曼, but the reading is not derived from the kanji components.