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Katakana Flashcards Pack

Printable Flashcards for Japanese Beginners

Author: NihongoDoya
Target: Japanese Language Beginners, JLPT N5, JFT-Basic Learners
Features: 46 Basic Characters • Stroke Counts • Printable Double-sided • Doodles Included
Copyright: © 2026 NihongoDoya. All rights reserved.
Katakana Flashcards Cover Illustration

How to Print and Study

Get the most out of your printable educational Katakana flashcards.

Printing Instructions

  • Card Stock Selection Print on thick A4 card stock (200gsm to 300gsm). A matte finish is highly recommended for writing on cards and avoiding bright glare under study lamps.
  • Double-Sided (Duplex) Alignment This pack is pre-formatted for duplex printing. Print odd pages for fronts, even pages for backs. Select "Flip on Short Edge" in your print settings.
  • Visible Cut Lines Cut along the solid gray border lines using a paper cutter or scissors. For safety and a clean finish, you can round the corners of the cards.
  • Lamination (Optional) Laminating your cards using standard thermal laminating sheets will protect them from tears, dirt, and water, extending their lifespan indefinitely.

Study Methods & Tips

  • Active Recall Mastery Look at the Katakana front, try to pronounce the character, write it down on scrap paper, then flip the card to check. Do not just look at both sides passively!
  • Spaced Repetition System (SRS) Sort cards into three physical piles: Hard (review daily), Medium (review every 3 days), and Easy (review once a week). Move cards between piles as you master them.
  • Loanword Association Katakana is mainly used for loanwords. Relate each character to the English words featured on the back (e.g., ア for Ice cream, カ for Camera).

Katakana Gojuon Table

A quick reference grid of the 46 basic Katakana characters grouped by syllable.

Vowel
A
Ka
Sa
Ta
Na
Ha
Ma
Ya
Ra
Wa
N
A
ア a
カ ka
サ sa
タ ta
ナ na
ハ ha
マ ma
ヤ ya
ラ ra
ワ wa
ン n
I
イ i
キ ki
シ shi
チ chi
ニ ni
ヒ hi
ミ mi
—
リ ri
—
—
U
ウ u
ク ku
ス su
ツ tsu
ヌ nu
フ fu
ム mu
ユ yu
ル ru
—
—
E
エ e
ケ ke
セ se
テ te
ネ ne
ヘ he
メ me
—
レ re
—
—
O
オ o
コ ko
ソ so
ト to
ノ no
ホ ho
モ mo
ヨ yo
ロ ro
ヲ wo
—
A / ア行 2 Strokes
ア
A / ア行 2 Strokes
イ
A / ア行 3 Strokes
ウ
A / ア行 3 Strokes
エ
A / ア行 3 Strokes
オ
Ka / カ行 2 Strokes
カ
Ka / カ行 3 Strokes
キ
Ka / カ行 2 Strokes
ク
エ
e
Pronounced like the 'e' in pet.
エアコン (eakon)
air conditioner
ウ
u
Pronounced like the 'oo' in boot.
ウール (ūru)
wool
イ
i
Pronounced like the 'ee' in meet.
インク (inku)
ink
ア
a
Pronounced like the 'a' in father.
アイス (aisu)
ice cream
ク
ku
Pronounced like 'koo' (k + oo in boot).
クラス (kurasu)
class
キ
ki
Pronounced like 'kee' (k + ee in meet).
キー (kī)
key
カ
ka
Pronounced like 'kah' (c + a in father).
カメラ (kamera)
camera
オ
o
Pronounced like the 'o' in solo.
オレンジ (orenji)
orange
Ka / カ行 3 Strokes
ケ
Ka / カ行 2 Strokes
コ
Sa / サ行 3 Strokes
サ
Sa / サ行 3 Strokes
シ
Sa / サ行 2 Strokes
ス
Sa / サ行 2 Strokes
セ
Sa / サ行 2 Strokes
ソ
Ta / タ行 3 Strokes
タ
シ
shi
Pronounced like 'shee' (sh + ee in meet).
シャツ (shatsu)
shirt
サ
sa
Pronounced like 'sah' (s + a in father).
サラダ (sarada)
salad
コ
ko
Pronounced like 'koh' (k + o in solo).
コップ (koppu)
cup / glass
ケ
ke
Pronounced like 'keh' (k + e in pet).
ケーキ (kēki)
cake
タ
ta
Pronounced like 'tah' (t + a in father).
タクシー (takushī)
taxi
ソ
so
Pronounced like 'soh' (s + o in solo).
ソファ (sofa)
sofa
セ
se
Pronounced like 'seh' (s + e in pet).
セーター (sētā)
sweater
ス
su
Pronounced like 'soo' (s + oo in boot).
スープ (sūpu)
soup
Ta / タ行 3 Strokes
チ
Ta / タ行 3 Strokes
ツ
Ta / タ行 3 Strokes
テ
Ta / タ行 2 Strokes
ト
Na / ナ行 2 Strokes
ナ
Na / ナ行 2 Strokes
ニ
Na / ナ行 2 Strokes
ヌ
Na / ナ行 4 Strokes
ネ
ト
to
Pronounced like 'toh' (t + o in solo).
トースト (tōsuto)
toast
テ
te
Pronounced like 'teh' (t + e in pet).
テント (tento)
tent
ツ
tsu
Pronounced like 'tsoo' (ts + oo in boot).
ツアー (tsuā)
tour
チ
chi
Pronounced like 'chee' (ch + ee in meet).
チーム (chīmu)
team
ネ
ne
Pronounced like 'neh' (n + e in pet).
ネクタイ (nekutai)
necktie
ヌ
nu
Pronounced like 'noo' (n + oo in boot).
ヌードル (nūdoru)
noodles
ニ
ni
Pronounced like 'nee' (n + ee in meet).
ニュース (nyūsu)
news
ナ
na
Pronounced like 'nah' (n + a in father).
ナイフ (naifu)
knife
Na / ナ行 1 Stroke
ノ
Ha / ハ行 2 Strokes
ハ
Ha / ハ行 2 Strokes
ヒ
Ha / ハ行 1 Stroke
フ
Ha / ハ行 1 Stroke
ヘ
Ha / ハ行 4 Strokes
ホ
Ma / マ行 2 Strokes
マ
Ma / マ行 3 Strokes
ミ
フ
fu
Pronounced like 'foo' (breath through lips).
フォーク (fōku)
fork
ヒ
hi
Pronounced like 'hee' (h + ee in meet).
ヒーロー (hīrō)
hero
ハ
ha
Pronounced like 'hah' (h + a in father).
ハム (hamu)
ham
ノ
no
Pronounced like 'noh' (n + o in solo).
ノート (nōto)
notebook
ミ
mi
Pronounced like 'mee' (m + ee in meet).
ミルク (miruku)
milk
マ
ma
Pronounced like 'mah' (m + a in father).
マスク (masuku)
mask
ホ
ho
Pronounced like 'hoh' (h + o in solo).
ホテル (hoteru)
hotel
ヘ
he
Pronounced like 'heh' (h + e in pet).
ヘリコプター (herikoputā)
helicopter
Ma / マ行 2 Strokes
ム
Ma / マ行 2 Strokes
メ
Ma / マ行 3 Strokes
モ
Ya / ヤ行 2 Strokes
ヤ
Ya / ヤ行 2 Strokes
ユ
Ya / ヤ行 3 Strokes
ヨ
Ra / ラ行 2 Strokes
ラ
Ra / ラ行 2 Strokes
リ
ヤ
ya
Pronounced like 'yah' (y + a in father).
ヤシ (yashi)
palm tree
モ
mo
Pronounced like 'moh' (m + o in solo).
モニター (monitā)
monitor / screen
メ
me
Pronounced like 'meh' (m + e in pet).
メロン (meron)
melon
ム
mu
Pronounced like 'moo' (m + oo in boot).
ムービー (mūbī)
movie
リ
ri
Pronounced like the Japanese 'r' + 'ee' in meet.
リボン (ribon)
ribbon
ラ
ra
Pronounced like the Japanese 'r' (between 'r' and 'l') + 'a'.
ラジオ (rajio)
radio
ヨ
yo
Pronounced like 'yoh' (y + o in solo).
ヨーグルト (yōguruto)
yogurt
ユ
yu
Pronounced like 'yoo' (y + oo in boot).
ユニフォーム (yunifōmu)
uniform
Ra / ラ行 2 Strokes
ル
Ra / ラ行 1 Stroke
レ
Ra / ラ行 3 Strokes
ロ
Wa / ワ行 2 Strokes
ワ
Wa / ワ行 3 Strokes
ヲ
N / ン 2 Strokes
ン
Bonus Card Go!
応援
Review Card Web
サイト
ワ
wa
Pronounced like 'wah' (w + a in father).
ワイン (wain)
wine
ロ
ro
Pronounced like the Japanese 'r' + 'o' in solo.
ロボット (robotto)
robot
レ
re
Pronounced like the Japanese 'r' + 'e' in pet.
レインコート (reinkōto)
raincoat
ル
ru
Pronounced like the Japanese 'r' + 'oo' in boot.
ルール (rūru)
rule
サイト
NihongoDoya
Scan or visit nihongodoya.com for interactive tests & audio.
ウェブサイト (webusaito)
website
応援
Ganbatte!
You can master Katakana! Keep practicing every day.
ファイト (faito)
Fight / Do your best!
ン
n
Pronounced like the 'n' in pen. Never starts a word.
サンド (sando)
sandwich
ヲ
wo
Pronounced like 'o' (the 'w' is silent, same as オ).
ヲルガン (worugan)
organ (historic loanword)

Katakana Orthography & Sound Rules

Katakana uses specific modifiers to represent foreign phonemes in Japanese.

Basic Rules & Modifiers

1. The Long Vowel Mark (ー): In Katakana, long vowels are represented by a horizontal dash line (ー). For example, kēki (cake) is written as ケーキ. Do not use Hiragana vowel markers!

2. The Small Tsu (ッ): A small version of ツ represents double consonants or abrupt stops, similar to Hiragana. For example, koppu (cup/glass) is written as コップ.

3. Palatalized Sounds (Y-Glides): Small versions of ヤ, ユ, or ヨ combine with I-ending consonants. For example, shatsu (shirt) is written as シャツ (シ + small ャ).

Pro Tip: When reading horizontal text, the long vowel mark is horizontal (ー). If you read vertical text, it turns vertical (丨)! Keep this in mind when reading street signs in Japan.

Modern Sound Combinations

To transcribe foreign sounds that don't exist in native Japanese, newer combinations are used:

Combination Sound Example Word English Meaning
ティ ti パーティー (pātī) party
ディ di ディズニー (dizunī) Disney
ファ / フェ fa / fe カフェ (kafe) café
チェ / ジェ che / je チェリー (cherī) cherry
ウィ / ウェ wi / we ハロウィーン (harowīn) Halloween
デュ dyu デュエット (dyuetto) duet

Essential Loanwords in Japanese

Master these common words that you will encounter daily in restaurants, hotels, and shops in Japan.

カフェ
kafe
café
テレビ
terebi
television
カメラ
kamera
camera
パソコン
pasokon
computer (PC)
ホテル
hoteru
hotel
タクシー
takushī
taxi
レストラン
resutoran
restaurant
デパート
depāto
department store
スーパー
sūpā
supermarket
トイレ
toire
toilet / restroom
ビール
bīru
beer
ジュース
jūsu
juice

Stroke Order & Alignment Sheets

Use the dotted guide lines to align your characters correctly. Trace the light gray character first, then write your own.

ア
ア
イ
イ
ウ
ウ
エ
エ
オ
オ
カ
カ

My Learning Checklist

Track your mastery of each column. Check the boxes once you can read, write, and identify the characters in under 2 seconds.

Katakana Group Characters Read Write Master
A (ア行) ア イ ウ エ オ
Ka (カ行) カ キ ク ケ コ
Sa (サ行) サ シ ス セ ソ
Ta (タ行) タ チ ツ テ ト
Na (ナ行) ナ ニ ヌ ネ ノ
Ha (ハ行) ハ ヒ フ ヘ ホ
Ma (マ行) マ ミ ム メ モ
Ya (ヤ行) ヤ ユ ヨ
Ra (ラ行) ラ リ ル レ ロ
Wa (ワ行) ワ ヲ ン
Review & Study Log
Date
Duration
Score / Focus Group

7-Day Katakana Mastery Challenge

Follow this step-by-step roadmap to achieve complete Katakana proficiency in just one week.

1
Day 1: Vowels & K (ア - コ)
Learn the characters, practice stroke orders, and write 5 loanwords using them (e.g. アイス, ケーキ).
2
Day 2: S & T (サ - ト)
Learn the next 10 characters. Pay special attention to distinguishing シ (shi) vs ツ (tsu) and ソ (so) vs ン (n).
3
Day 3: N & H (ナ - ホ)
Learn these columns and learn how double consonants (small ッ) and long vowels (ー) are used in words like コップ and コーヒー.
4
Day 4: M & Y (マ - ヨ)
Learn these characters and practice building words. Notice how the Y-row only has three characters (ヤ, ユ, ヨ).
5
Day 5: R, W & N (ラ - ン)
Learn the final set of characters. Study how "ヲ" is historically used and how "ン" differs from the Hiragana "ん" in stroke writing direction.
6
Day 6: Speed Review Challenge
Shuffle your printed flashcard deck. Set a stopwatch and review the entire deck. Aim to correctly read all 46 characters in under 2 minutes!
7
Day 7: The Final Quiz
Go to the Common Words page (Page 17) and read all 12 loanwords out loud without looking at the Romaji. If you can read them, you graduated!
Mastery Badge
Color in this trophy badge once you complete all 7 days and master reading and writing Katakana!