Learn Katakana
Master All 46 Japanese Katakana Characters
Katakana (カタカナ) is one of the three writing systems used in Japanese, alongside hiragana and kanji. While it might seem intimidating at first, katakana is actually one of the easiest parts of learning Japanese—and it’s absolutely essential for reading modern Japanese texts.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn all 46 basic katakana characters, discover proven memorization techniques, understand when and how to use katakana, and practice with real-world examples. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to read katakana with confidence!
Table of Contents
What is Katakana?
Katakana (カタカナ) is a syllabary—a writing system where each character represents a syllable rather than a single sound or concept. It was developed in the 9th century by Buddhist monks who simplified Chinese characters (kanji) for annotation purposes.
Key Characteristics:
- 46 basic characters representing distinct sounds
- Angular and geometric appearance (compared to hiragana’s curved style)
- Primarily used for foreign words and loanwords from other languages
- Each character = one syllable (with a few exceptions)
- Written left-to-right or top-to-bottom like other Japanese scripts
While hiragana has soft, flowing curves, katakana features sharp, straight lines. Think of hiragana as cursive and katakana as print. Functionally, they represent the same sounds, but they’re used in different contexts.
Why Learn Katakana?
Katakana is essential for modern Japanese because:
- It’s used for thousands of loanwords (especially from English)
- Brand names, product names, and company names often use katakana
- Scientific and technical terms are written in katakana
- Foreign names (including yours!) are written in katakana
- It’s required for JLPT N5 and all higher levels
- You’ll see it everywhere in Japan—menus, signs, advertisements
When to Use Katakana
Understanding when to use katakana is just as important as knowing how to write it. Here are the main uses:
1. Foreign Loanwords (Gairaigo – 外来語)
The most common use of katakana is for words borrowed from other languages, primarily English.
2. Foreign Names and Places
All non-Japanese names are written in katakana:
3. Onomatopoeia (Sound Effects)
While some sound words use hiragana, many use katakana for emphasis:
4. Emphasis (Like Italics in English)
Sometimes katakana is used to emphasize a word that would normally be written in hiragana or kanji.
5. Scientific Terms, Animal/Plant Names
Technical vocabulary often appears in katakana:
If you know English, you already know thousands of katakana words! Many modern Japanese words are borrowed from English and just need to be “Japanified” with katakana pronunciation.
The 46 Basic Katakana Characters
Let’s learn the fundamental 46 katakana characters organized by their traditional gojūon (五十音) order:
Basic Katakana Chart (Gojūon)
| – | A | I | U | E | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ∅ | 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 | ||||
シ (shi) vs ツ (tsu): シ has horizontal lines, ツ has vertical lines
ソ (so) vs ン (n): ソ slants right (↘), ン slants left (↙)
ヌ (nu) vs ス (su): ヌ has a hook at the end, ス doesn’t
Dakuten (゛) and Handakuten (゜)
Just like hiragana, katakana uses dakuten (゛) and handakuten (゜) marks to modify certain characters and create new sounds.
Dakuten Characters (濁点)
Adding two small marks (゛) to certain characters changes their sound:
Dakuten Chart
| Row | GA | GI | GU | GE | GO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | ガga | ギgi | グgu | ゲge | ゴgo |
| Z | ザza | ジji | ズzu | ゼze | ゾzo |
| D | ダda | ヂji | ヅzu | デde | ドdo |
| B | バba | ビbi | ブbu | ベbe | ボbo |
Handakuten Characters (半濁点)
Adding a small circle (゜) to H-row characters creates P sounds:
Handakuten Chart
| P | パpa | ピpi | プpu | ペpe | ポpo |
Combination Characters (拗音 – Yōon)
Combination characters are formed by adding a small ヤ (ya), ユ (yu), or ヨ (yo) to certain katakana to create new sounds:
| Base | + ャ (ya) | + ュ (yu) | + ョ (yo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-row | キャ (kya) | キュ (kyu) | キョ (kyo) |
| S-row | シャ (sha) | シュ (shu) | ショ (sho) |
| T-row | チャ (cha) | チュ (chu) | チョ (cho) |
| N-row | ニャ (nya) | ニュ (nyu) | ニョ (nyo) |
| H-row | ヒャ (hya) | ヒュ (hyu) | ヒョ (hyo) |
| M-row | ミャ (mya) | ミュ (myu) | ミョ (myo) |
| R-row | リャ (rya) | リュ (ryu) | リョ (ryo) |
| G-row | ギャ (gya) | ギュ (gyu) | ギョ (gyo) |
| J-row | ジャ (ja) | ジュ (ju) | ジョ (jo) |
| B-row | ビャ (bya) | ビュ (byu) | ビョ (byo) |
| P-row | ピャ (pya) | ピュ (pyu) | ピョ (pyo) |
Special Katakana for Foreign Sounds
Modern katakana includes combinations for sounds that don’t exist in traditional Japanese:
- ファ (fa), フィ (fi), フェ (fe), フォ (fo) – F sounds
- ウィ (wi), ウェ (we), ウォ (wo) – W sounds
- ティ (ti), トゥ (tu), ディ (di), ドゥ (du) – T/D + i/u sounds
- ヴァ (va), ヴィ (vi), ヴ (vu), ヴェ (ve), ヴォ (vo) – V sounds
Memory and Learning Tips
Learning katakana doesn’t have to be difficult! Here are proven strategies to help you master all the characters:
Learn in Small Groups
Don’t try to memorize all 46 characters at once. Learn 5-10 characters per day, focusing on one row at a time (a-row, k-row, s-row, etc.).
Practice Writing Daily
Write each character multiple times. The physical act of writing helps cement the shapes in your memory. Aim for at least 10 repetitions per character.
Use Mnemonics
Create visual associations. For example: カ (ka) looks like a “cutting” knife, ケ (ke) looks like a “keg” on its side.
Use Flashcard Apps
Apps like Anki, WaniKani, or Memrise use spaced repetition to help you retain what you’ve learned. Practice daily for best results.
Make It Fun
Play katakana recognition games, label objects around your house in katakana, or watch anime with subtitles to spot katakana words.
Compare with Hiragana
If you already know hiragana, use it as a reference point. Many katakana characters resemble simplified versions of their hiragana counterparts.
Stroke Order Matters!
Learning proper stroke order helps you:
- Write characters more naturally and quickly
- Make your writing more legible
- Better recognize handwritten katakana
- Build good habits for learning kanji later
Stroke Order Examples
Here are some common katakana characters with their stroke counts:
General stroke order rules:
- Top to bottom
- Left to right
- Horizontal before vertical when crossing
Common Katakana Words You’ll See Everywhere
Here are 30 essential katakana words that appear constantly in Japanese:
Food & Drinks
Technology & Modern Life
Places & Travel
Countries & Nationalities
When you see katakana in Japanese text, try saying it out loud slowly. Many katakana words are English words with Japanese pronunciation, so if you sound them out, you’ll often recognize them!
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Reading Practice
Can you read these katakana words? (Answers below)
1. テレビ (terebi) – TV/Television
2. ノート (nōto) – Notebook
3. ペン (pen) – Pen
4. ベッド (beddo) – Bed
5. カメラ (kamera) – Camera
6. ドア (doa) – Door
Exercise 2: Write Your Name in Katakana
Practice writing your name using katakana! Here are some common name conversions:
- Michael → マイケル (Maikeru)
- Sarah → サラ (Sara)
- David → デービッド (Dēbiddo)
- Emily → エミリー (Emirī)
- John → ジョン (Jon)
- Anna → アンナ (Anna)
- Break your name into syllables
- Find the closest katakana match for each syllable
- Long vowels are indicated with ー (chōonpu)
- Consonant clusters might need extra vowels
Exercise 3: Spot the Difference
These katakana pairs look similar. Can you identify them correctly?
- シ vs ツ – Which is “shi” and which is “tsu”?
- ソ vs ン – Which is “so” and which is “n”?
- ス vs ヌ – Which is “su” and which is “nu”?
- ク vs ワ – Which is “ku” and which is “wa”?
1. シ (shi) has horizontal strokes, ツ (tsu) has vertical strokes
2. ソ (so) slants right (↘), ン (n) slants left (↙)
3. ス (su) is straight, ヌ (nu) has a hook at the end
4. ク (ku) has two separate strokes, ワ (wa) has a connected top
Key Takeaways:
- ✅ Katakana has 46 basic characters representing syllables
- ✅ It’s used primarily for foreign words, names, and emphasis
- ✅ Characters are angular compared to hiragana’s curves
- ✅ Learn in small groups (5-10 characters per day)
- ✅ Practice writing with correct stroke order
- ✅ Use mnemonics and flashcards for memorization
- ✅ Many English words can be recognized when written in katakana
- ✅ Watch out for similar-looking characters (シ/ツ, ソ/ン)
Your Katakana Journey Starts Now
Congratulations on taking the first step toward mastering katakana! Remember, learning a new writing system takes time and consistent practice. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t remember everything immediately—that’s completely normal.
Recommended Study Schedule:
- Week 1: Master the 5 vowels and K-row (10 characters)
- Week 2: Learn S-row and T-row (10 characters)
- Week 3: Learn N-row, H-row, and M-row (15 characters)
- Week 4: Learn Y-row, R-row, W-row, and ン (11 characters)
- Week 5: Master dakuten and handakuten
- Week 6: Practice combination characters and special sounds
Practice daily, even if just for 10-15 minutes. Consistency is more important than marathon study sessions. Before you know it, reading katakana will feel as natural as reading your native script!
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.
