喝

to shout; threaten

Kanji 1086

A few words with 喝 are about applauding people, and the rest are about crushing them! Discover the thread connecting terms about (1) cheering for performers and winners; (2) intimidation, threats, and extortion; and (3) a random shout that helps Zen priests achieve enlightenment. Also see how highly religious terms from Zen have made their way into a popular TV sports segment. 

Revision History:

Aug. 31, 2021: p. 2: Updated the Sears link.

Dec. 12, 2019: Made all these changes:

• p. 2, Etymology Box: Replaced the old Henshall etymology with the new one.
• p. 2: "Love and Acclaim Every Day": Changed "Acclaim" to "Acclamation." 
• p. 3, topmost sidebar: Made wording match that of the same passage on p. 3 of essay 1089.
• p. 3, Sidebar 1: I had said that 采 typically means “to gather” and that I was surprised to see it as "dice." I now know (after writing essay 2015 on 采) that the primary definition is "dice," so I have rewritten the text to eliminate any indication of surprise. I've also made the wording match that of the corresponding text in essay 2015.
• p. 3: Deleted sidebar 2 about やんや because my proofreader's sources don't confirm the etymology I had presented there. They just say that やんや is the sound of applause. 
• p. 12: Deleted a broken link.
• p. 13: Added a link to the games on Kanshudo.

July 14, 2017: Originally published.