Katakana chart カタカナ

Katakana has the same 46 sounds as hiragana in a sharper, angular shape. Tap any character for example words, its hiragana twin and a short quiz.

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Basic katakana (gojūon)

All 46 basic characters. Rows share a consonant, columns share a vowel.

Vowelsアa イi ウuエeオo

K-rowカka キki クku ケke コko

S-rowサsa シshi スsu セse ソso

T-rowタta チchi ツtsu テte トto

N-rowナna ニniヌnuネne ノno

H-rowハha ヒhi フfuヘheホho

M-rowマma ミmi ムmu メme モmo

Y-rowヤyaユyuヨyo

R-rowラra リri ルru レre ロro

W-rowワwaヲwo

Nンn

Dakuten and handakuten

Add ゛ for a voiced sound and ゜ for p: カ → ガ, ハ → パ.

G-rowガgaギgiグguゲgeゴgo

Z-rowザzaジjiズzuゼzeゾzo

D-rowダdaヂjiヅzuデdeドdo

B-rowバbaビbiブbuベbeボbo

P-rowパpaピpiプpuペpeポpo

Combined sounds (yōon)

An i-column character plus a small ャ, ュ or ョ.

kyキャkyaキュkyuキョkyo

shシャshaシュshuショsho

chチャchaチュchuチョcho

nyニャnyaニュnyuニョnyo

hyヒャhyaヒュhyuヒョhyo

myミャmyaミュmyuミョmyo

ryリャryaリュryuリョryo

gyギャgyaギュgyuギョgyo

jジャjaジュjuジョjo

byビャbyaビュbyuビョbyo

pyピャpyaピュpyuピョpyo

How to read this chart

Each row shares a consonant and each column a vowel: かきくけこ = ka ki ku ke ko. Learn the five vowels first, then one row at a time.

Two small marks change the consonant: the dakuten (゛) makes it voiced (か ka → が ga) and the handakuten (゜) turns h into p (は ha → ぱ pa).

A small や, ゆ or よ after an i-column character merges into one syllable: き + ゃ = きゃ (kya).

When is katakana used?

Katakana writes words borrowed from other languages (コーヒー = coffee, テレビ = TV), foreign names, onomatopoeia and words written for emphasis. The long-vowel mark ー stretches the previous vowel.

Every character has a hiragana twin with the same sound: see the hiragana chart.

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