キャサリン
Your name
Katherine
in Japanese
The default way to write Katherine in Japanese is キャサリン — a phonetic katakana spelling that captures the sound and signals, instantly to a Japanese reader, that the name comes from elsewhere. But katakana is only one of three answers Japanese gives to a foreign name.
Below, we show all three. First the official katakana. Then a set of meaning kanji chosen to express what Katherine actually means at the root — From the Greek 'Aikaterine', traditionally interpreted as 'pure' or 'clear' (associated with Greek 'katharos' meaning pure). Finally a set of ateji, the playful tradition where the kanji match the sound and tell their own small story underneath.
Katakana — Phonetic
How Katherine is most commonly written in Japanese — used on official documents, business cards, and signage.
Meaning Kanji — Etymology
"Katherine" means: From the Greek 'Aikaterine', traditionally interpreted as 'pure' or 'clear' (associated with Greek 'katharos' meaning pure)
清麗
Seirei
清 (sei) = pure/clear, 麗 (rei) = beautiful/graceful — capturing the essence of pure beauty
清華
Seika
清 (sei) = pure/clear, 華 (ka) = flower/splendor — a pure and splendid flower
澄花
Sumika
澄 (sumi) = clear/transparent, 花 (ka) = flower — a clear, pristine flower reflecting purity
Ateji — Sound + Meaning
Where the sound matches and the kanji tell their own small story. The Edo scholars and modern manga authors both played this game.
煌咲鈴
Kyasarin
煌 (kya) = sparkle/glitter, 咲 (sa) = bloom, 鈴 (rin) = bell — a sparkling, blooming bell (mystical and radiant)
綺紗凛
Kyasarin
綺 (kya) = beautiful silk/elegant, 紗 (sa) = fine gauze fabric, 凛 (rin) = dignified/cool — elegant, graceful, and dignified (cool and refined)
茶沙琳
Kyasarin
茶 (kya) = tea, 沙 (sa) = sand/grain, 琳 (rin) = beautiful jewel/gem — a tea-colored grain of jewel (cute and earthy with a gem-like sparkle)
Not sure which form to use?
Katakana, meaning kanji, and ateji each belong to a different part of Japanese life — official paperwork, calligraphy and gifts, signatures and wordplay. Our full guide walks through when to reach for each one.
Read the guide: the three ways to write your name in Japanese →
Seven, drawn