noun
light summer kimono; unlined hemp or silk kimono
A traditional single-layer kimono, typically made of hemp or raw silk, worn in summer. Historical and cultural term; not everyday modern clothing.
夏の暑い日には、麻の帷子が涼しくて快適だった。
On hot summer days, a hemp katabira was cool and comfortable.
noun
shroud; burial clothes
Abbreviation of 経帷子 (kyōkatabira). Refers to the white kimono used as burial clothing in Buddhist funerals. Primarily encountered in funeral or historical contexts.
See also: 経帷子
亡くなった祖母には、白い帷子を着せてあげた。
We dressed our deceased grandmother in a white shroud.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 帷 (curtain, hanging) and 子 (child, small thing) are conventionally associated with the garment, but the historical origin of the reading かたびら is unclear.