Katakana Chart
The Katakana Chart is a language reference tool covering katakana chart, katakana alphabet chart, katakana with romaji, and how to learn katakana. Use the chart below to look up values instantly. Printable and downloadable versions are available on this page.
Katakana Flashcard Quizzer
Choose a character group and number of cards, then type the romaji for each katakana shown. Toggle stroke order and loanword hints on any card.
Complete Katakana Chart with Romaji
All 46 basic katakana characters arranged in the traditional gojūon grid. Column headers show the vowel sounds; row headers show the consonant groups. Each cell shows the katakana character followed by its romaji pronunciation.
| a | i | u | e | o | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vowels | ア a | イ i | ウ u | エ e | オ o |
| K | カ ka | キ ki | ク ku | ケ ke | コ ko |
| S | サ sa | シ shi | ス su | セ se | ソ so |
| T | タ ta | チ chi | ツ tsu | テ te | ト to |
| N | ナ na | ニ ni | ヌ nu | ネ ne | ノ no |
| H | ハ ha | ヒ hi | フ fu | ヘ he | ホ ho |
| M | マ ma | ミ mi | ム mu | メ me | モ mo |
| Y | ヤ ya | ユ yu | ヨ yo | ||
| R | ラ ra | リ ri | ル ru | レ re | ロ ro |
| W | ワ wa | ヲ wo | |||
| N | ン n |
Source: Standard Japanese katakana syllabary
Commonly Confused Katakana Pairs
Several katakana characters are visually very similar — these pairs cause the most confusion for learners and are worth extra study time.
| Character Pair | Each Character and Reading | How to Distinguish Them |
|---|---|---|
| ン vs ソ | ン = n / ソ = so | ン has one diagonal stroke rising from lower-left to upper-right. ソ has two short nearly horizontal strokes at the top and one longer diagonal falling stroke. |
| シ vs ツ | シ = shi / ツ = tsu | シ has two short strokes on the LEFT side and one longer stroke going down-right. ツ has two short strokes at the TOP and one longer stroke going down-right. Rotate 90° mentally: シ is like a sideways し. |
| ウ vs ワ | ウ = u / ワ = wa | ウ has a short horizontal stroke at the top. ワ has a wider top stroke that curves down on both sides like an arch. |
| フ vs ラ | フ = fu / ラ = ra | フ has one corner: one horizontal stroke folding down into one vertical. ラ has two strokes forming an angle at the top before a vertical. |
| ク vs ケ | ク = ku / ケ = ke | ク is two strokes. ケ is three strokes — it has an additional vertical stroke on the left. |
| テ vs ア | テ = te / ア = a | テ has three strokes in a horizontal arrangement with a final hook. ア has a different structure with a cross-stroke and descending stroke going lower-right. |
Standard Japanese katakana character analysis
Common English Loanwords in Katakana
One of the fastest ways to build Japanese vocabulary is to recognise English loanwords written in katakana — many everyday Japanese words come directly from English and other languages.
| Katakana | Romaji Reading | English Word |
|---|---|---|
| コーヒー | koohii | coffee |
| ビール | biiru | beer |
| パン | pan | bread (from Portuguese pão) |
| チーズ | chiizu | cheese |
| バター | bataa | butter |
| テレビ | terebi | television |
| コンピュータ | konpyuuta | computer |
| スマートフォン | sumaatofon | smartphone |
| インターネット | intaanetto | internet |
| カメラ | kamera | camera |
| バス | basu | bus |
| タクシー | takushii | taxi |
| ホテル | hoteru | hotel |
| レストラン | resutoran | restaurant |
| マクドナルド | Makudonarudo | McDonald's |
| サッカー | sakkaa | soccer |
| テニス | tenisu | tennis |
| バスケットボール | basukettoboru | basketball |
| アイスクリーム | aisu kuriimu | ice cream |
| チョコレート | chokoreeto | chocolate |
| ピザ | piza | pizza |
| ハンバーガー | hanbaagaa | hamburger |
| スーパー | suupaa | supermarket |
| デパート | depaato | department store |
| エレベーター | erebeetaa | elevator |
| エアコン | eakon | air conditioner |
| ノート | nooto | notebook |
| ペン | pen | pen |
| ドア | doa | door |
| ゲーム | geemu | game |
Standard Japanese katakana vocabulary
Extended Katakana for Foreign Sounds
Standard katakana cannot represent all foreign language sounds — extended katakana combinations were developed to write non-Japanese phonemes more accurately.
| Extended Katakana | Approximate Sound | Example Word |
|---|---|---|
| ファ | fa | ファッション (fashion) |
| フィ | fi | フィリピン (Philippines) |
| フェ | fe | フェリー (ferry) |
| フォ | fo | フォーク (fork) |
| ヴ | vu | ヴァイオリン (violin) |
| ウィ | wi | ウィキペディア (Wikipedia) |
| ウェ | we | ウェブ (web) |
| ティ | ti | パーティー (party) |
Katakana Flashcard Quizzer
Test your katakana knowledge with the interactive flashcard quiz. Choose a character group and number of cards, then type the romaji for each character shown. Toggle stroke order and loanword hints on any card if you need help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is katakana used for?
Katakana is used primarily to write foreign loanwords, foreign names, scientific and technical terminology, and onomatopoeia in Japanese. It is also used for stylistic emphasis — similar to italics in English.
Is katakana harder to learn than hiragana?
Most learners find them roughly equal in difficulty. Katakana characters tend to be more angular and some are easily confused with each other — particularly ン and ソ, and シ and ツ. See the confused pairs table above for a full breakdown of tricky pairs.
How do I write my name in katakana?
Convert each syllable of your name to the closest matching katakana sound. For example Sarah becomes サラ (Sa-ra), Michael becomes マイケル (Ma-i-ke-ru), and Emma becomes エマ (E-ma). Use the AI assistant on the left — type your name and select "Romaji to katakana" for an instant result.
What does the long dash ー mean in katakana?
The ー symbol (chōonpu) extends the preceding vowel sound for one beat. For example コーヒー (koohii — coffee) has two extended vowels: the ko becomes koo and the hi becomes hii. It is one of the most frequently used katakana symbols and always extends the vowel of the character immediately before it.
How many katakana characters are there?
46 basic characters — the same count as hiragana — plus voiced and semi-voiced variations and extended characters for foreign sounds.
Should I learn hiragana or katakana first?
Learn hiragana first. It is used more frequently and learning it first builds the phonetic foundation. Katakana uses the same readings so the second system is much faster once hiragana is memorised.
Why does コーヒー have four katakana characters if "coffee" has three letters?
Katakana represents syllables rather than individual letters. Ko-o-hi-i requires four characters because each katakana represents one consonant-vowel unit and the long vowel mark extends each vowel. Japanese has no single-letter consonants in its native sound system.
What is the difference between katakana and romaji?
Romaji uses the Latin alphabet to represent Japanese sounds and is used primarily for foreign learners and some signage. Katakana uses the Japanese syllabic characters and is the correct native writing system for loanwords and foreign names in Japanese. Reading katakana directly — rather than through romaji — is a key step in becoming fluent.
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