Katakana Chart (Interactive)

Finding katakana hard to remember? Todaimae has recorded this Interactive Japanese Katakana Chart for you! Katakana is typically used for loanwords (like hamburger, computer, and more). Tap the chart below to hear lively teacher pronunciations paired with cute illustrations—and memorize katakana with ease!

1) Link images to daily life: Most katakana words are English loanwords you already know. Look at 「ハンバーガー (hamburger)」 in the chart, listen to the sound, and picture the real thing—your brain absorbs it fastest that way.

2) Break down look-alike characters: Many learners struggle with 「シ (shi)」 and 「ツ (tsu)」. Watch the teacher's pronunciation demo and write each character once by hand—use muscle memory to overcome the confusion.

If hiragana comes from the cursive form of kanji, katakana comes from kanji radicals and components! Katakana was first created by ancient monks who extracted parts of kanji to mark readings quickly. Master Todaimae's Katakana Origin Chart below, understand where each character comes from, and even the hardest katakana will stick in seconds!

1. How do I use this Japanese gojuon chart to learn katakana? Treat the page like a free kana app: tap each character to hear the pronunciation, then read aloud while practicing the stroke order. Reviewing a few characters a day sticks better than cramming the whole chart at once.

2. When copying katakana into homework or notes, first use the chart to tell apart look-alikes like 「シ／ツ」 and 「ソ／ン」, then type with a Japanese keyboard for accuracy. You can also study alongside the hiragana chart to master how each sound maps between the two systems.

3. What is the link between "gojuon kanji" and katakana? Katakana are not kanji, but most shapes come from parts of kanji. The origin chart above shows how each character evolved—once you understand the source, you no longer need pure rote memorization.