Hiragana & Katakana Translator
Convert your English name or any romaji text into authentic Japanese Hiragana (ひらがな) or Katakana (カタカナ) phonetic script. Free, instant, no sign-up.
Hiragana & Katakana Reference
| Romaji | Hiragana | Katakana |
|---|---|---|
| a / i / u / e / o | あ い う え お | ア イ ウ エ オ |
| ka / ki / ku / ke / ko | か き く け こ | カ キ ク ケ コ |
| sa / shi / su / se / so | さ し す せ そ | サ シ ス セ ソ |
| ta / chi / tsu / te / to | た ち つ て と | タ チ ツ テ ト |
| na / ni / nu / ne / no | な に ぬ ね の | ナ ニ ヌ ネ ノ |
| ha / hi / fu / he / ho | は ひ ふ へ ほ | ハ ヒ フ へ ホ |
| ma / mi / mu / me / mo | ま み む め も | マ ミ ム メ モ |
| ya / yu / yo | や ゆ よ | ヤ ユ ヨ |
| ra / ri / ru / re / ro | ら り る れ ろ | ラ リ ル レ ロ |
| wa / wo / n | わ を ん | ワ ヲ ン |
What Is Hiragana?
Hiragana is one of the three Japanese writing systems, alongside Katakana and Kanji. It is a syllabic alphabet of 46 characters, used for native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb endings. Hiragana was developed in the 9th century AD from simplified Chinese characters.
The Three Japanese Writing Systems
Hiragana (ひらがな): Rounded, cursive; used for native Japanese words and grammar.
Katakana (カタカナ): Angular; used for foreign loanwords, foreign names, and emphasis.
Kanji (漢字): Chinese characters representing meaning; about 2,000 in common use.
How to Write Your Name in Japanese
Foreign names are transliterated phonetically into Katakana. For example: Michael → マイケル (Maikeru), Sarah → サラ (Sara). Our converter provides the correct Katakana for any name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use hiragana or katakana for my name?
For non-Japanese names, Katakana is the standard. Hiragana looks softer and is used artistically.
Why is "Michael" マイケル and not マイチャエル?
Japanese converts by sound, not spelling. Michael sounds like /ˈmaɪkəl/ → ma-i-ke-ru.
What is romaji?
Romaji (ローマ字) is the romanization of Japanese — writing Japanese sounds in Latin letters.
Can I use this for kanji?
This tool converts to phonetic kana only; kanji requires meaning-based translation.