Why Convert Kanji to Katakana?
Katakana (カタカナ) is the angular Japanese script used for foreign loanwords, emphasis, and — importantly — pronunciation fields on official paperwork. If you have ever filled in a Japanese form, you have probably met a small box labeled フリガナ above the name field. When that label is printed in katakana, the reading you write must be in katakana too. Banks, mobile carriers, and government offices routinely store name readings this way, so being able to turn kanji into katakana quickly is a genuinely practical skill.
Katakana is also the script of the dictionary: Japanese dictionaries conventionally list a kanji's on'yomi (音読み, the Sino-Japanese reading) in katakana and its kun'yomi (訓読み, the native reading) in hiragana. Seeing readings in katakana therefore mirrors exactly how you will encounter them when you look characters up.
Kun'yomi (hiragana): ひがし (higashi), あずま (azuma)
Examples: 東京 = トウキョウ (tōkyō, Tokyo) · 東口 = ヒガシグチ (higashiguchi, east exit)
Our converter uses morphological analysis — the same technology behind Japanese input methods and search engines — to split your text into words and select the correct context-dependent reading for each one, then presents every reading in katakana. Words already written in hiragana or katakana are carried through in katakana form, so the output line is uniformly katakana from start to finish.
Converter Features
Instant Conversion
Kanji becomes katakana in milliseconds — all analysis runs client-side with no server roundtrips.
フリガナ-Ready Output
Get the exact katakana reading Japanese forms expect in their furigana name fields.
Romaji Included
Every reading comes with Hepburn romaji, so you can pronounce the katakana even as a beginner.
Context-Aware
Morphological analysis picks the right reading for each kanji from the surrounding words.
English Glosses
See a short English meaning for every word in the breakdown, powered by a built-in dictionary.
One-Click Copy
Copy the katakana line, romaji, or the full breakdown table to your clipboard instantly.
Audio Pronunciation
Hear the Japanese text read aloud with your browser's built-in speech synthesis.
Free & Private
No registration and no limits — your text is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Example Kanji to Katakana Conversions
| Original (Kanji) | Katakana | Romaji | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 日本語 | ニホンゴ | nihongo | Japanese language | |
| 山田太郎 | ヤマダタロウ | yamada tarō | Yamada Tarō (sample name) | |
| 東京駅 | トウキョウエキ | tōkyō eki | Tokyo Station | |
| 銀行口座 | ギンコウコウザ | ginkō kōza | bank account | |
| 携帯電話 | ケイタイデンワ | keitai denwa | mobile phone | |
| 桜 | サクラ | sakura | cherry blossom |