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Katakana Letter Ra Letter

ラ (Katakana Letter Ra) is a Japanese Katakana character used to write words and syllables.

U+30E9

“ラ” is the Katakana letter for the “ra” sound. It’s commonly used in Japanese writing to represent syllables in borrowed words and native vocabulary.

Katakana Letter Ra Letter Meaning

ラ is a Katakana character representing the syllable “ra.” In Japanese text, Katakana is often used for loanwords, names, onomatopoeia, and emphasis, so ラ frequently appears when writing those sounds. Depending on context, it can be part of a larger word or combine with diacritics like “゛” (dakuten) to change the pronunciation (e.g., creating “ri/ru/re/ra” variants such as “ら”→“ら゛” forms used for different sounds). As a standalone character, ラ is mainly about spelling the “ra” mora; as part of text, it helps form accurate syllable sequences. It has the Unicode code point U+30E9.

Common uses

  • Writing Japanese loanwords and foreign names that include the “ra” sound in Katakana
  • Typing Katakana syllables in Japanese text input for chat, messages, and captions
  • Creating names and labels in UI text where Katakana spellings are required
  • Designing posters or social media text that uses Katakana for stylized wording
  • Building correct Japanese strings in software localization and content tools

Examples

ラ — Katakana Letter Ra (U+30E9)

  • ラーメン
  • カメラ
  • ドラマ
  • ライオン
  • ラジオ

Variations

Technical codes

UnicodeU+30E9
HTML Entityラ
HTML Codeラ
CSS\30E9

FAQ

What is the Unicode code point for ラ?

ラ is U+30E9 (KATAKANA LETTER RA).

How can I copy ラ for use on a website?

You can copy the character directly, or use the HTML entity ラ or the CSS escape \\30E9.

What does ラ represent in Japanese?

ラ represents the syllable “ra” in Katakana.

How do I insert ラ using JavaScript?

Use the escape sequence \\u{30E9} (JavaScript).