Shirt Question [never thought I'd be asking this]

[KyleGoetz]

Hey all. So I've got this thing that I received from a friend when I returned to the US from Japan about four years ago.

I say "thing" because, in the meantime, I've forgotten what the thing is called! It's not a happi, yukata, etc. I'm including a link. There's a top and some just-below-the-knee shorts. Thin material, clearly for the summer. No amount of googling has helped me recall or find the word for it.

Additionally, it has 喝 written on it. I know what it means, dictionary-wise: a shout, roar, bark, or the thing Zen masters say to pupils to bring them out of their meditation or something. I know words like 一喝 and 喝采.

I think in this case it basically is emphasizing the masculinity of the wearer, sort of like wearing a shirt in English that says "no pain, no gain" emphasizes how the wearer is really into athletics or something like that.

I'm looking for confirmation that I've not misunderstood it. Also, is there any sort of cultural background to this kanji appearing on summerwear/festivalwear/onsen-wear? I saw it on other stuff when I was in Japan.

Finally, what is it called? This is killing me that I've forgotten!

Thanks, all.

Photo 274 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Nagoyankee]

It's called 甚平 （じんべい）.

喝 means "scolding" or "energizing a person". It's most often used by athletes now.

There's no cultural background to this kanji used on clothes. The word has received some popularity in the last decade because it is used often in the sports section of a popular Sunday morning news program on TBS. When they show a video of a baseball player making an error or a sumo wrestler getting beaten by another of a lower rank, two commentators (ex-pro-athletes) shout "カーツ！".　Some people do imitate them.　

EDIT: Adding a 喝 video....

[KyleGoetz]

Thanks, Nagoyankee. The video was hilarious too. What was more funny, though, I don't know: The mistake, or the old men who all sounded like Beat Takeshi.

And jimbei! Argh! It was right on the tip of my tongue!

[chryuop]

Hee hee in Italy we use alot かつ too even tho the ending is more an O sound...but the meaning is way different: let's say the English F!