Katakana: complete chart and reading rules
Katakana is the second Japanese syllabary. Its 46 basic characters represent the same sounds as Hiragana and are used mainly for loanwords, foreign names, sound effects and emphasis.
Reinforce Katakana with practice
Use short sessions to practise recognition, similar characters and guided writing.
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Contents
What is Katakana?
Katakana is one of the two Japanese Kana syllabaries. It represents the same sounds as Hiragana but uses a separate set of angular characters.
Each basic character represents one mora. Learn the chart by rows and vowel order instead of treating all 46 characters as unrelated shapes.
Where Katakana is used
Katakana appears most often in loanwords, foreign names, scientific terms, brand names, sound effects and words that need visual emphasis.
A word written in Katakana is not automatically English. Japanese pronunciation follows its own sound system, so imported words are adapted to Japanese morae.
Complete Katakana chart
Read each row from left to right: a, i, u, e, o. The row label shows the consonant added to those vowels.
The long-vowel mark
Katakana often uses ー to extend the preceding vowel. For example, ケーキ is read keeki and コーヒー is read koohii. The mark is not a dash and should not be skipped.
How to read the rows
The regular pattern makes most rows predictable. Concentrate on the special readings shi, chi, tsu and fu, then reinforce them in words.
The five vowels define the order of every regular row. Example: アイス (aisu) - ice cream.
Add the K sound to each vowel. Example: ケーキ (keeki) - cake.
Notice the irregular reading shi. Example: ソース (soosu) - sauce.
Remember the irregular readings chi and tsu. Example: ホテル (hoteru) - hotel.
Similar Katakana characters
The pairs below differ mainly in stroke direction. Compare them side by side and practise reading them inside words.
- シ · ツ - the short strokes in シ are more horizontal; in ツ they are more vertical.
- ソ · ン - compare where the long stroke begins and the direction of the short stroke.
- ク · ケ - ケ has an extra vertical stroke.
- ヌ · ス - ヌ has a crossing stroke inside the shape.
- ワ · ウ - ウ has a short top stroke.
Dakuten and extended sounds
Dakuten (゛) voices a consonant, while Handakuten (゜) changes the H row into P sounds.
Sounds used in modern loanwords
Small vowels and small ャ・ュ・ョ make combinations that represent sounds not found in the basic chart.
Test yourself
This short quiz checks basic recognition and the characters most often confused by beginners.
How the application reinforces Katakana
The chart explains the system, while short sessions build quick recognition, accurate writing and recall inside real words.
Recognition and guided writing
Compare similar characters, trace their strokes and review difficult signs at spaced intervals.
Frequently asked questions
There are 46 basic characters. Voiced forms and combinations with small vowels extend the set.
Usually, yes. Hiragana appears more often in beginner grammar and native words, but learning both scripts early is useful.
The mark ー extends the preceding vowel and is common in loanwords, for example コーヒー.
Look at the direction of the short strokes. In シ they are more horizontal, while in ツ they are more vertical.