Japanese syllabary
Katakana chart: 46 basic characters
Katakana is used for foreign names, loanwords and sound effects. It has the same syllables as hiragana, so learn the scripts side by side and practise easily confused shapes early.
Basic katakana chart
The chart includes romaji; the trainer checks recognition and handwriting.
| 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 |
How to stop mixing up katakana
- Compare シ/ツ and ソ/ン by the direction of their short strokes.
- Attach characters to real loanwords such as テレビ, コーヒー and ホテル.
- Alternate reading with handwriting; one skill does not replace the other.