Kana for loanwords

Japanese transliterates loanwords with dedicated combinations: ファ, ティ, ウィ, ヴ, シェ, ジェ. Each is two characters but one mora.

Six combinations

Click a cell: each takes one mora.

or use the + on each cell

Six combinations

A mora is the timing unit: roughly one kana.

KanaRomajiMoraeExample
ファfa1fight → ファイト
ティti1team → チーム; party → パーティ
ウィwi1window → ウィンドウ
ヴvu1violin → ヴァイオリン
シェshe1shell → シェル
ジェje1gel → ジェル

How to practise

Where these numbers come from

Mora counts come from ja_mora.n_mora() — never typed by hand.

Romanisation of ヴ varies between textbooks.