Katakana chart
Katakana is used mostly for foreign words, names and emphasis. It has the same sounds as hiragana, plus extended combinations for sounds Japanese didn't have, like fa, ti and vu.
Practice katakana →Free quiz: type the romaji, and the kana you miss come back more often.
Tap any kana to hear it.
Basic
a
i
u
e
o
アa
イi
ウu
エe
オo
カka
キki
クku
ケke
コko
サsa
シshi
スsu
セse
ソso
タta
チchi
ツtsu
テte
トto
ナna
ニni
ヌnu
ネne
ノno
ハha
ヒhi
フfu
ヘhe
ホho
マma
ミmi
ムmu
メme
モmo
ヤya
ユyu
ヨyo
ラra
リri
ルru
レre
ロro
ワwa
ヲwo
ンn
Dakuten & handakuten
ガga
ギgi
グgu
ゲge
ゴgo
ザza
ジji
ズzu
ゼze
ゾzo
ダda
ヂji
ヅzu
デde
ドdo
バba
ビbi
ブbu
ベbe
ボbo
パpa
ピpi
プpu
ペpe
ポpo
Combinations (yōon)
ya
yu
yo
キャkya
キュkyu
キョkyo
シャsha
シュshu
ショsho
チャcha
チュchu
チョcho
ニャnya
ニュnyu
ニョnyo
ヒャhya
ヒュhyu
ヒョhyo
ミャmya
ミュmyu
ミョmyo
リャrya
リュryu
リョryo
ギャgya
ギュgyu
ギョgyo
ジャja
ジュju
ジョjo
ビャbya
ビュbyu
ビョbyo
ピャpya
ピュpyu
ピョpyo
Extended katakana
ファfa
フィfi
フェfe
フォfo
フュfyu
ヴァva
ヴィvi
ヴvu
ヴェve
ヴォvo
ティti
ディdi
トゥtu
ドゥdu
テュtyu
デュdyu
ウィwi
ウェwe
ウォwo
シェshe
ジェje
チェche
ツァtsa
ツィtsi
ツェtse
ツォtso
イェye
クァkwa
クィkwi
クェkwe
クォkwo
グァgwa
Easy to mix up
シshi
ツtsu
シ (shi): the short strokes sit on the left and the long stroke sweeps upward. ツ (tsu): the short strokes sit on top and the long stroke sweeps down.
ソso
ンn
ソ (so): the short stroke is almost vertical and the long one falls from the top. ン (n): the short stroke is almost flat and the long one sweeps upward.
クku
ケke
タta
タ (ta) is ク (ku) with a short stroke inside. ケ (ke) has a flat line with a stroke dropping down from it.
ウu
ワwa
フfu
ウ (u) has a small tick on top and a short line on the left; ワ (wa) has only the line on the left; フ (fu) has neither.
スsu
ヌnu
In ヌ (nu) a stroke cuts through the middle; in ス (su) the short stroke only touches the bottom right.
コko
ユyu
ユ (yu) has a bottom line that sticks out to the left; コ (ko) is a box open on the left.
チchi
テte
チ (chi) starts with a slanted stroke on top; テ (te) has two flat lines on top.
ノno
メme
メ (me) is ノ (no) with a short stroke crossing it.
Good to know
Dakuten and handakuten
Two small marks change the sound. Dakuten (゛) makes it voiced: カ ka → ガ ga, サ sa → ザ za, タ ta → ダ da, ハ ha → バ ba. Handakuten (゜) only goes on the h-row and turns it into p: ハ ha → パ pa.
Combinations (yōon)
A small ャ, ュ or ョ after an i-row kana merges the two into one syllable: キ ki + ャ ya → キャ kya, シ shi + ョ yo → ショ sho. The small kana is written at about half size.
Small tsu
A small ッ has no sound of its own. It doubles the next consonant, like a short pause: ベッド beddo (bed), サッカー sakkā (soccer).
Long vowels
In katakana, a long vowel is marked with a dash, ー: コーヒー kōhī (coffee), ケーキ kēki (cake).