喝 means “shout, roar”

かつ · katsu

Also: hoarse, scold

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カツ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 11 strokes

The story

A mouth (口) letting out a single roar: picture a Zen master's 喝, shouted to jolt a monk awake. 一喝 is a thunderous rebuke, 恐喝 extortion by threats, and 拍手喝采, clapping and cheering, is thunderous applause.

Used in 喝采 (kassai, applause/cheers), 恐喝 (kyoukatsu, extortion), and 一喝 (ikkatsu, thunderous rebuke)

More from Anger & Scorn

• 憤 indignation
• 恨 resent
• 侮 look down on
• 怨 grudge
• 叱 scold
• 嫉 jealousy
• 罵 curse
• 蔑 contempt
• 妬 envy
• 羨 envy
• 嘲 ridicule
• 苛 harsh

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.